Happy Birthday Dad! :)

Today is my dad's birthday - Happy Birthday dad!! We love you and miss you and we wish that we could be in WA right now to celebrate with you!  

 My dad and me at my wedding

The birthday cake I made for my dad when I was pregnant with Johnny

My dad (Joseph) is an amazing person and I am so blessed to have him as my father!  I think my dad and I are a lot alike in personality - we both are generally quiet and most comfortable at home or with family.  My dad is all about his family - he is definitely a guy you can count on to be there to help you out.  He is Johnny's best friend and I am glad they have such a special bond.  :)  My dad served in the army, has worked in construction, and has worked at a galvanizing company for the past fifteen years or so.  He is definitely a hard worker and still is, even though he's undergone open heart surgery.  He loves the outdoors and has enjoyed hunting and fishing.  He loves to watch shows about nature and animals on TV and he enjoys kitchen gadgets just like I do. :)  He was the one who did all the cooking while I was growing up, so I guess I can credit him with my interest in cooking. My dad enjoys video games too and a good glass of scotch or wine.  Gardening has been a new hobby of his in the past few years - he loves to try and grow tomatoes each year.  He especially loves to hang out with his family.  Growing up I always had very involved parents; my dad was either an assistant coach for our sports teams or he was there at every practice and game cheering us on.  I was always included in sports, fishing, or even Boy Scout activities with my dad, if I wanted.  He didn't exclude me just because I was a girl, and that has definitely helped shape me into the confident young woman that I am and allowed me to be interested in whatever I wanted.  I remember one time when I was in the first grade my dad picked me up from school and took me fishing on a whim - it was totally a surprise and a lot of fun to go fishing just with my dad.  My dad has been loving and supportive of me and my choices my entire life, and even patient during my early teen years when I was less than pleasant to be around. :) He gets along great with John, and I think that is because they are both so much alike it is humorous.  I guess it is true the saying that girls marry boys like their father, because I definitely did!  Lucky for me I had a really good guy for a dad and he set the bar high for who I would choose to be my husband, and now I'm with a really great guy! :) He grew up an air force brat and was born in Africa.  He spent his childhood terrorizing my grandmother and getting into trouble (in the typical boy fashion).  My dad has been married to my mom for twenty-four years and is still completely devoted to her to this day.  He is a loving and devoted father to my brother and myself, and definitely a devoted and loving grandfather to Johnny (Johnny is definitely spoiled by my dad!).  He is also a devoted Dallas Cowboys fan, and strives to bring Johnny to the dark side. ;) I could go on and on about how great my dad is, but I don't think I need to write a novel for you all to know that he is a good man.  And that he deserves an awesome birthday!

Happy Birthday dad!  We love you so much and we hope you are having an absolutely awesome day! Johnny loves and misses his papa!  Happy Birthday!