Happy Birthday Dad!

Today is my dad's 52nd birthday. He is coming up to our place for the weekend. I am very excited. The boys and I are going to make his favorite birthday cake (white cake with milk chocolate icing) and we have some really cool gifts for him.

This birthday seems a bit more special to me this year. On July 17th, dad had a small stroke. Luckily he was only away from work for 6 weeks and seems to have made a full recovery although the dr.'s still are unsure as to why he had the stroke. Anyway, the experience made it all to clear how precious life is and how I should cherish my time with him. So, with all that said, here are 52 that I love most about my dad (or remember doing with him when I was little).

*Sunday afternoon wrestling matches.

*The smell of hamburger and onions (the only thing he can cook).

*The time he warmed up frozen waffles for me ... in the microwave.

*Our phone conversations.

*Watching him play baseball with my boys.

*The way his hands felt when I was little. They were always rough from boxes, but they were still comforting.

*His laugh.

*His baseball card collection.

*The way he loved (and still does) his mom.

*His organizational skills. Seriously, if I had half of them I would be in good shape!

*His work ethic. The man never calls in sick (ok, other than for a stroke or back surgery! HA).

*Playing catch with him in the middle of Chipaway Drive.

*Driving around looking at Christmas lights after he got home from work.

*He was the only one I would go trick-or-treating with.

*Daddy walking me down the isle.

*His face when he held his newborn grandsons.

*He taught me to mow the grass.

*He taught me to change a tire (I do neither of the last two now, but I could at one point in my life).

*The drives to Toledo every third weekend.

*He treated his three daughters as fairly as possible.

*He didn't judge when I brought a drunk friend home.

*The fact that I'll have to print this blog entry off so that he can read it. He's never used a computer!

*He is forgiving.

*He recognizes me for the woman I am today.

*He made it to as many sporting events as he could ... even for cheerleading!

*He's a Detroit Tigers fan.

*He's a Green Bay Packers fan.

*He a Colts fan.

*He's a Pacer's fan.

*He's a Nolan Ryan fan.

*He's a Brett Favre fan.

*He's my fan.

*He's Aiden and Logan's fan.

*He took us sledding ... down the driveway.

*Building snowmen.

*Snowball fights.

*Good's donuts and Sunday night with the Oldies on the radio.

*He's Pepsi addiction. Really ... it's a problem.

*Watching hockey with him when I was little.

*Being his bat girl when he coached the church softball teams.

*His strength.

*His faith.

*Watching him rock with my boys.

*Hearing him try to sing, "My Girl."

*Seeing his face light up when he is singing "My Girl."

*His record and 8 track collection!

*His discipline.

*His sense of humor (well, most of the time).

*The fact that he's proud of me even though I know I didn't make things that easy sometimes.

*He cares about my friends.

*He prays for me and my family.

*Watching him do anything with my boys.

*And the number one reason ... because he's my Daddy and I will always be a Daddy's girl.

I love you Daddy!

Carrie