Daddy

Yesterday was my Daddy's birthday. He turned 54.

I adore my dad. We may not have always gotten along, you know I was a difficult teenager :) But I have always looked up to and adored him.

He is the man that I compare all others to.

My boyfriends, bosses, acquaintances, everyone.

He is an amazing man. A classic male from the era of The Cleavers.

He works hard, sacrifices for his family, suffers in silence, can fix everything, shoots a mean game of pool, super outdoorsy, athletic, completely business savvy, funny and likes to play golf while smoking a cigar and drinking scotch.

I mean c'mon, how can you beat that?!?!!?

I remember looking up to him (literally) as a child and thinking he was the coolest guy around.

Then I got independent, like at 7 or 8, and we clashed for quite awhile.

It doesn't help when its a clone of a bullheaded person! :)

We argued and fought and didn't speak through most of my middle and high school years.

If there's one thing I could go back and change in my life, it would be all the grief I caused my parents and all of the times I disrespected them and was just flat out nasty.

I moved out when I was 19 and my parents helped though they didn't like it.

As soon as everything was unloaded and they left, I sobbed, like hardcore sobbed.

The best part? They were only 7 miles away!

But it was at that moment that I realized I was walking into the real world and becoming an adult.

I realized that I should not have taken for granted the wonderful life my parents had built for me.

Now that I am adult (still weird) and have a family of my own (swear I don't feel old enough for that to be acceptable) my Dad and I get along wonderfully.

Sometimes I talk too much (not me!) and he just walks into the other room and turns on the tv or something. He does that to all the girls, always has.

But its no longer fighting.

Its love.

Its respect.

Its me clinging to the man who shaped my life.

Its wishing I was still a little girl sitting in his lap talking about what I wanted to be when I grew up.

I have the most amazing memories of my childhood and spending time with my Dad.

One morning, he came in my room and woke me up really early to watch the sunrise off the back porch.

I felt soooo special.

Mom and Elizabeth were still sleeping and the two of us just sat there and watched a big sun crest over the cornfield behind our house.

After the sun was up, we drove to a little family owned restaraunt on the lake and had pizza for breakfast.

I thought I was in heaven!

No one has pizza for breakfast!?!?!?

Accept me and my Daddy.

He took me to the theatre to see the Little Mermaid. (I think Mom was sick, don't remember why she didn't come too)

He took me, just me, to see Tombstone at the Crown Point Theatre.

I have great memories of that date with Dad and Tombstone is still one of my favorite movies ever.

I always loved individual time with him.

When you have siblings its hard to do that.

Also, my Dad traveled on business basically Monday through Friday.

So those were rare and precious times.

My Dad used to jam out to Creedence Clearwater, ZZ Top and George Thorogood until Elizabeth and I would complain that our ears hurt.

My Dad is loved by all for his fantastic people skills, great sense of humor (he's good time charlie), and his willingness to help anyone.

I could go on for days or even years with little memories and stories, etc about my Dad but I'll stop.

I just wanted to share in my own little way, my never ending love and respect for my Dad with the world.

I love you Daddy.

This is the "Brian Reid smile"

Mom and Dad on vacation

Letting Keira dress him up as a fairy

The Reid family on my wedding day