65

Do you know what today is?  Well, it's so late, that it's already tomorrow, but for me it's still today, so what I'm talking about is my Dad's 65th birthday.  Yes sir, he is 65! My dad...is so special.  He's quiet, gentle, kind, supportive.  I'll never say he's perfect, because no one is.  But he has been such a good dad. Hey Dad, remember that time at Matthew's birthday party when you held your hands in front of my face and had one of his friends throw a nerf ball and then at the last minute you moved your hands apart so that it would gently pouf on my face, but then after it hit my face we realized that it was actually a real rubber basketball, just small size?  That was so funny! Seriously, I could say so many great things about my "diddy" (that's how you talk when you grow up in the East End of Richmond).  He always has a hug and a big smile for me.  And he always tells me I'm his favorite daughter.  Wait a minute...I'm his only daughter. I am blessed to have a father who loves me so much, who encourages me in so many ways (he even comments on my blog!), who loves our whole family.  Here are a couple of my favorite pictures of us... Check out those underpants, and my dad's sweet shorts.  The '70's were good times. We are an awful lot alike.  We're both really great people.  Ha!  Just kidding!  He really is a great person, but we both do get really mad at inanimate objects.  Really mad.  We are also great at puzzles, and we can pack one mean suitcase. This is just before he gave me away.  I'll never forget it-just as they opened the door for us to walk out, I squeezed his arm tightly, you know, that feeling right as you're about to walk down the aisle?  He was right there, steady.  And then we walked confidently down together.  And he performed a one-man show for our wedding!  He gave me away, sang a duet, and with another pastor gave us our vows.  That was a special day. He's been there shortly after all the kids were born.  He's been at all of the big deal events in our lives that he could be at and would have been at all of them if possible.  I love my dad. One of my favorite things to watch is how the kids love my dad.  It is a beautiful, unconditional, precious love, and it brings so much joy to me. Of all the dads in the world, I got just the right one!  How lucky!  Awww, I know luck didn't have anything to do with it.  God put this family together, and while no family is flawless, our family is full of love.  And love covers a lot, doesn't it? Colossians 3:21 says,"Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged."  Thank you, Dad, for encouraging and not casting down.  We love you, and Happy Birthday!