To My Dad

As Father's Day is coming to an end in Okinawa and just beginning back in the States, I've had a lot of time to think about my dad today. I'm so very thankful for his influence in my life for so many reasons.

Thank you Dad for:

• Loving me
• Tucking me in at night
• Checking for monsters under the bed
• Waking up in the middle of the night when I thought the monsters came back
• Piggy back rides to the breakfast table
• Never being too busy
• Making Jay put back the covers that he had stolen off of me during nap time :D
• Taking us to pep rallies on Friday
• Apologizing when you made a mistake (ie: the pencil incident) 
• Curling my hair even though I'm pretty sure you ended up w/2nd degree burns
• Putting my hair in a perfectly slicked back ponytail
• Being my third base coach in softball
• Buying me and all my friends ice cream when you came to have lunch w/me in elementary school
• Always encouraging me in my endeavors
• Leaving meetings at work early to make my volleyball games
• Constantly telling me you were proud of me
• Meeting me for coffee at the local Starbucks in college
• Lunch dates at Angelo's
• Always listening
• Taking my phone calls during staff meeting
• Having a great sense of humor 

The list could go on and on, but thank you most of all for the Godly example you set for Jay and I. You have taught me so me things, but of all of them I think that's the most important. You were always the same person at home as your were in pulpit on Sunday mornings and I think that's a rare thing. Thank you for making life choices that I don't think many people would have made and trusting God to become the incredible father that you are. I love you very much and am so proud to call you Dad! I'm proud of you...you're doing good stuff. :D

Happy Father's Day from Oki!