My Dad...

I don't usually talk about my dad.  Not because he was a bad father, or because he was absent.  I just never thought to do it... til now.

His 71st birthday was Saturday and usually we either take him out to dinner, or buy him clothes for his birthday.  But this year we kept it simple.

Dad is the most HUMBLE person I know.  He taught me how to be kind to people, even when they don't deserve it.  And I haven't always followed that golden rule.  But he is a man of good character.   Honest.  Great integrity.

He likes to garden, and create liquid concoctions from rare fruits.  Loves his dog, whose a real "B"!, and always Always ALWAYS washes the dishes.

He's mostly quiet, which up until yesterday I translated that as being shy.  But really, he's just wise.  My dad wasn't very affectionate with us growing up and even now he isn't that touchy feely.  He's like that more with the grandkids.  He shows his love with gifts.  Whenever I visit him, he loads up a grocery bag with either fruit, dinner to go, snacks for Gio, drinks, coffee or some odd item.  He's so giving and has such a kind heart.  I used to think that this "love of giving" part of me came from mom, because she too likes to give, but I realized this week it's been dad's influence all along.

I wish I had the money to give him a trip to PR, have him stay at a NICE hotel and give him spending money, but I'm too much of a shopaholic to save money for that.  lol.

What I can and did do, was give him something he likes.  A card with a very heartfelt message inside.  And 2 tickets to see his favorite baseball team play.  (That's his other favorite hobby, watching baseball & wrestling).

I loved seeing his face light up when he knew he'd be going to a ball game.  Last year the three of us (me, dad & hubby) went.  I took hubby's dad's place since he had to go to PR.  It was so fun.  We enjoyed the game, I took tons of photos (as you probably saw via my Instagram), and dad was able to get away from his everyday life.

I am blessed to have my parents near me, and alive.  I am blessed that they are not in wheelchairs or physically disabled in any way.  He still has energy to walk the dog and clean the carpets in the same day.

So even though this card I made for him was simple and fairly quick, to him it meant the world.  It meant having us over to spend time with him for the day.

Even if it was just to feed bread to the ducks at the lake behind his house.