Today is my dad’s 65th birthday. Happy Birthday, Dad! (It’s Medicare time, WOOHOO!) In honor of this big day, I thought I’d share with you some of my favorite memories of my dad.
My dad is an awesome dad. I always knew he loved me, because he told me AND showed me. There were never any worries of me having “daddy issues”. The self-confidence I’ve had that has been the subject of many jokes on this blog, was I think, not necessarily innate but the product of two parents who loved the crap out of me and encouraged me.
When I was little, my dad used to take me fishing a lot. He loves to fish, and he’s a real “outdoor guy”. These days, you probably couldn’t pay me to fish (borrrr-ing) but back then I thought worms were cool, and my dad was cooler. One time when we went fishing, there was a bird trapped on the water somehow. I think it was injured, and it couldn’t get back to land. Well, my dad went all Nature-MacGuyver and saved that bird. I was SOOO proud and excited. It was a major drama and my daddy was the hero! He just couldn’t stand to the the bird suffer, or to let me see it.
My dad is always helping people. When I was a child, (a terrible, sinful child) he used to exasperate me to no end by stopping to help every person with car trouble he ever saw. Be it the side of the road or the Big Lots parking lot, Dad would ALWAYS stop to help. And he usually COULD help because he was very good with cars. Also, if something was wrong with your plumbing, your appliances, or your roof, my dad was the guy to call. He could fix anything, and he still can! I learned a lot from watching him offer help to strangers – because he could.
One of my best memories of my dad is when he walked me down the aisle on my wedding day. I was his little girl and yet he graciously accepted Bobby into our lives and graciously moved from being the #1 man in my life to #2 (and with Joshua’s arrival, #3, I guess!) Dad never made me feel worried about spending money on my wedding or college either for that matter, or the Christian school we attended growing up. He wanted us to be kids while we could be kids, and made sure we had the kind of childhood that would lend us to being functional, happy adults.
Ok, this is getting long and sappy but one more thing. I love the way my dad loves my mom, and I love the way my dad loves my kids. He dotes on my mom like they are still teenagers, I mean he really LOVES her, after 41 years of marriage, he loves her. And my babies – my dad loves to spend time with my kids. He takes Joshua on big walks and loves to snuggle Sophie. She definitely has “Papaw” wrapped around her little finger!
So, anyways, happy birthday daddy. You are the best dad a girl could ask for – truly. I know you always say that I got “every bad trait you have” but I like being like you. I wish I could be as good! I love you!
Jenny Michelle
Happy Birthday Charlie!
I want to wish him a happy birthday too! And Jenny is very right about him – he not only helps strangers, but also friends. He has helped us with our plumbing before, and he’s helped my in-laws so much. He’s a good man, and you are very blessed to have him as your dad, and my in-laws are blessed to have him as one of their very best friends.
Come to think of it, I’m blessed too. Without your dad, there would be no you. Without you and I being friends, I probably never would have met the love of my life.
When I was a kid, your dad was my hero. I remember wanting to look like him. Well duh! Brothers…no choice there. Wanting to wear my hair in a flat-top like he did. Again…no choice now…male pattern baldness…brothers! He’s a great brother.
Happy Birthday, Charlie.
Paul David
You are incredibly lucky! Happy Birthday to your dad!
Happy Birthday Jenny’s Dad!!!
Your dad sounds like a really awesome guy! Tell him Happy Birthday for me! You’re very lucky to have him!
I was thinking about this post all day, and thinking about your dad, and how fortunate I (and my family) are to know him.
I thought about the first memory I have of your dad… 28 years ago. I remember being at church and getting into an argument with another kid that we grew up with. Well, your dad swooped in, talked to both of us about the disagreement, and explained to the other child how wrong he (or she) was. Yep, he sided with ME! He’s a smart man!