Dads.

Since it is father's day, I have to tell you about my Dad. If you know him, you know he is a hilarious funny kind of guy. It is true, he is a funny happy man, but there is so much more to him than that. Growing up I was my Dad's little pal. Wherever he went, I wanted to go too. I have memories of trips to the Army/Navy store and the hardware store. In fact, last month when we were in Idaho Falls, Dad had to go to the hardware store on Saturday morning and took Mylie with him, it made me smile and think of when I was her age. Other things that remind me of my Dad, the sound that hightops make on a basketball floor (I watched countless city league basketball games at the Rec Center), fishing at Ririe Resevoir, eating fried chicken , pringles and drinking A&W root beer or New York seltzers on our fishing trips. As I got older, I went to work for my Dad. Our relationship changed, now in addition to being a "Daddy's girl" I was also his employee. I worked for him starting in 8th grade through both years at Ricks and then also the summer between my years at U of I. In all the hundreds of hours of driving back and forth together from work and spending many lunch breaks together my Dad became one of my closest friends and confidants.

The thing about my Dad is this, he really "gets" me. I think this is in part because we are so much alike. We have similar attitudes and outlooks on things, similar moods and habits. So often, when I go home to visit we sit up for hours and hours just talking. He is one of the people I admire most in this whole world. He has had difficult times in his life, yet he has overcome them and he still has a smile on his face. He is a hard worker and such a kind person. He is always willing to help someone out and give them a chance. I saw this countless times while working for him. He helps others without asking for anything in return. He is an amazing man, Dad and friend. I am proud to be his daughter.

A Daughter needs a dad... to teach her what kind of man to choose to be the father of her children. To help her become the best mother she can be. To help her raise her children with strong family values. To teach her that her role in a family is greater than the work she does.

And speaking of the man who is the father of my children ... Jeff is an amazing Dad!! Mylie and Blake are so lucky to have him as their Daddy. I knew when Jeff and I were dating that he would be an amazing father, even though he hadn't spent much time around children. When Mylie was born and the nurse laid her in Jeff's arms, it was the first time he had held a little baby. You wouldn't know it. He was born to be a father, he has so much patience and is so much fun. Mylie loves him so much! Those two have so much fun together, they work out together, mow the lawn together, wrestle together. He gets up in the night if Blake wakes up so I can sleep, even though he has to get up too. I am so blessed to be married to him and Mylie and Blake are so blessed to have him as their Daddy.

Father's Day hugs to my brother Ben, who is an amazing Dad, to Mike (Jeff's Dad), who is a wonderful Grandpa to Mylie and Blake, to Grandpa Hammond who is such an example of so many things and Grandpa Jack who has been a supporter of my ambitions.