Happy Father's Day - 2005

Dear Dad,

Thank you for always being there to pick me up when I fell - time and time again.

Thank you for teaching me to be responsible. And to keep my word. And to honor my commitments.

Thank you for teaching me that "there but for the grace of God, go I" and to treat all people with respect.

Thank you for taking me to church. The memories I have of going to church are some of my earliest and best memories.

Thank you for showing me how to be a good parent while being a good disciplinarian.

Thank you for loving my family as much as I do. And for always making my friends welcome at home.

Thank you for teaching me to drive, for making a steam tent for me in the middle of the night when I was sick, for bringing me the aspirin and heating pad every month and taking me on countless outings in "ol blue" when I was growing up.

Thank you for taking me on my first and only hunting trip and understanding when I couldn't kill anything. I did like going out to breakfast with you at Jimmy's Drive In before dawn though. That part was fun.

Thank you for showing me how to pour concrete, use tools and change the oil in my car. All handy things to know.

Thank you for sharing your great sense of humor with me. For the thousands of magic tricks and card tricks you have performed over the years for my friends. For playing in the yard with us, for taking me camping, and for teaching me to ski.

Thank you for rushing me to the hospital after my ski accident - even if you couldn't remember my name, age or birthday. I know you were quite flustered.

Thank you for having our boat re-named after me. I will never forget that day at Ky. Lake. I was so surprised and you were so tickled at my surprise. It was very sweet of you to do that.

Thank you for taking me trick or treating and for the memory of going to Maw-Maw and Pappy's every Christmas Eve.

Thank you for the braces for my teeth. I appreciated it then and I still do.

Thank you for making me work for things while spoiling me just enough.

Thank you for all the wonderful vacations you have taken me on over the years. I have seen wonderful sights I will never see again.

Thank you for teaching me to appreciate the difference between the big things and the little stuff and to not sweat the small stuff.

Thank you for all the times you spanked the bed instead of me when we were behind closed doors and mom thought I was getting a whipping. Really - thanks.

Thank you for not getting upset when I totalled your brand new car and for reassuring me that cars can be replaced, daughters can't. I was able to use that same calm logic when Andi had her first wreck. And her second. And her third.

Thank you for being my friend and letting me take up so much of your time.

Thank you for being the best dad anyone could EVER have. I am so blessed.

I love you.