Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear daddy, happy birthday to YOU!
How does it feel to be turning 30?! ;)
Today, my dad turned another year older. I am so blessed to call this man my father.
He is my best friend, my rock, my role model, and my biggest supporter.
Growing up, I was constantly looking up to him, and I still do to this day. He has always been a HUGE part of my life, no matter what I am going through.
He is an encourager to not only me, but to everyone around him. Thoughtfulness & generosity are just a couple of his many wonderful traits.
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| Doing one of the many things we love...exploring. |
My dad & I are so much alike, it's a little scary. I'm a lot like my mom, but I am even more like my dad, at least I think so. We are both list-makers...I'm talking psycho list makers. We make lists for EVERYTHING! It's kind of a ridiculous obsession. We are always prepared for anything...hence the lists. We are both lovers of nature, born hikers, and avid explorers. We love being outside and enjoy finding new adventures. I like to think I got my daredevil-ness from him as well. He is quite the daredevil, always wanting to try something new and trying to make a new situation the most extreme.
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Shooting at the gun range with my PD Daddy!
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| My dad & I at Eric & I's rehearsal dinner. |
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I also like to think I got my marathon running genes, not only from my grandfather, but also from my dad. He was a star track & cross country runner in high school, so I guess you could say we are a lot alike in that area too. He was at every single one of my track meets and has been such a big cheerleader for me during my marathon running career.
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| Pre-SA Marathon...it was early, give me a break. |
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| Post-SA Marathon...I was exhausted, leave me alone. |
My dad is also an extremely caring and considerate person. He is always putting other first and thinking of himself last. When entertaining, he always makes sure everyone else is having a good time before he decides to have a good time.
He is patient and kind and always finds the positive in life's situations. He is a saint for putting up with my mother & I for the past 20 something years. [No offense, mom ;)]
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| At my dad's police academy graduation. |
My dad taught me to be a hard-worker, and never ever ever give up, no matter how hard something got. This includes academics, athletics, and everyday life experiences. When I graduated college, I think he was the first person I hugged when I came out of the graduation ceremony. He told me how proud he was of me and how much my hard work had paid off. I love hearing these words of affirmation from him. It makes me happy to show him how much I have learned from him.
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| Love my daddy. |
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| My parents & I after Baylor's graduation. |
My dad is a very talented & intelligent person.
He not only runs his own business in Houston, but he also is a vice president in his community Noon Lion's Club, and a police officer for the local police department. He is an all-around amazing and phenomenal person. He manages to juggle so many activities and still have time for his family. Growing up, he was always able to get time away in order to take family vacations and do so many things in order to get quality time with our little family.
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| At Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas |
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| In Plymouth, MA |
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| At Fenway Park in Boston, MA |
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| In Tyler, TX for halloween festivities |
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| Our family at a friend's wedding in Spring, TX |
When Eric & I got engaged, I thought my dad was going to be sad to see his little baby girl growing up, and to be honest, I think he was ;). But he was of course, very excited for us! I'm so glad I had such a wonderful role model growing up of what a great husband should be like. I think I picked pretty well :)
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| My dad hugging me at Eric & I's engagement get-together! |
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| Walking me down the aisle at our wedding rehearsal |
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| At a wedding shower for Eric & I...my wonderful parents. |
Speaking of engagement/wedding, my dad & Eric could not be more alike. They both have the same hobbies, same interests, and sometimes they even say the same stuff. My dad has been so accepting of Eric & his family and loves Eric like his own son.
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| Eric & my dad dancing at our wedding...they are weird. |
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| And again... |
When I was little, my dad & I attended my uncle's wedding and took this little gem of a picture...
Then, at my wedding this past August, we tried to recreate the picture and this is what we came up with...
My Mimi, who is a talented artist, actually painted this picture for us and it is hanging in my parents house. We love it.
My dad is such a genuinely amazing person and I don't know what I would do with a dad like him.
He has guided me and encouraged me throughout my life.
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| Pre-wedding ceremony |
Walking down the aisle with my dad was such a special moment...I will never forget it. He kept telling me, once again, how proud he was of me and how I couldn't have picked a better man to share the rest of my life with. It was a bittersweet moment...I was gaining a husband, but was no longer a single woman with my dad as the man of the house. He is still my best friend and my supporter, but just 200 miles away from me :(
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| Sharing our father/daughter dance together |
I am so honored and blessed to be your daughter dad, and I couldn't have asked for a better life growing up. You have shown me what it means to be a friend, a parent, a wife, an athlete, a hard-working student, and so much more. Thanks for so many memories, and of course, so many more to come.
LOVE YOU :)
