from my dad

i have a lot to thank my dad for...that he passed onto me. his grey-blue eyes. his big {what i like to call "athletic"} calves :-). his hunger for our God and desire to live it out each and every day.

there are also parts of him that i can only hope i might have gotten...his humility, his wisdom, his patience (i KNOW i didn't get that...oh,well!)  i will always compare others to him. i will hold others up to him and, usually, decide that they don't even come close.

his hugs are the best around. they make you feel safe, protected and like a million bucks (and wishing for an extra breath afterwards! :-))

when he asks you how you're doing, he tilts his head and does this thing with his mouth while he REALLY listens to your answer. because he REALLY cares how you're doing.

he modeled love for our family. with very few words. and it's deep, deep inside of me. where no words could have gotten.

he is a GREAT teacher. i remember him teaching me math in junior high. i was having SUCH a hard time, and he made it seem so easy and i really got it! after that, i LOVED math, actually excelled in it, and wanted to major in it in college. it's amazing what a difference a great teacher can make!

he has the biggest heart, he loves everyone in his life with all that he has. but, for me, as one of his daughters, i know that he treasures ME - for who i am. and i can only hope that i could love my children that way, that i could give them the gift of being loved deeply.

i'm so thankful for my dad. i am blessed to have him so close by and a part of so many of my days still today.

happy father's day, dad!!!