Happy Birthday Daddy!

My Dad is one of the most amazing men in the universe. He has been gone for almost 5 yrs now, but we still celebrate his birthday every Oct. 18th. This year we went to Lake Mary. My Dad use to make us do this hike every Thursday when the weather was good. We always had bad attitudes about it, but of course would end up having a great time. I hope my Dad knows what a great legacy he has left behind him. One of my greatest fears is that he never realized how much he ment to us or how much he taught us. We all love hiking and exploring because of him. This picture I chose is of him reading to me and April on my birthday. Our love of reading is also from our Dad. He used to read to us every night. He would read us really amazing books too. We were introduced to the classics at a very young age. By the time we had to read To Kill a Mockingbird in school we had already read thru it at home a dozen times. 

When I was very little, I thought when I grew up I would marry my Dad. I know it sounds weird, but he took such good care of us, I just thought thats how it would be forever. I remember playing at Woodledge Park and I got knocked over by some teenage boys. My dad jumped right up on the playground and told them to get lost or else.....he was my hero.

Somewhere in between the years of being a little girl to becoming a teenager my dad went from being my hero to my worst enemy. I thought everything he said and believed was wrong and that he just wanted to make my life miserable...I wish I could take all those wasted years back.

I am so thankful that I had time to repair our broken relationship before he passed away. He along with my mom and siblings saved my life..literally. He gave me the means, strength and courage to overcome the unimaginable. He once again become my hero. I love my Dad soooo much. I hope I can teach my kids all the things he loved, believed and cherish. I am the woman I am today because of my dad.