día de los padres

Washington DC, 2009

Today's blog entry is dedicated to my wonderful Daddy. This is probably the first Father's Day in all of my 20 years that I have not spent with him, but the miles between us doesn't change anything. He is still the best dad any girl could ever dream of having, and I am so blessed that he is mine.

A little bit about this wonderful man that I call my Daddy: I think he has a servant's heart. For example, I have seen his dedication to Volusia Honor Air and to our church. He doesn't do these things for the recognition, but because he wants to serve. I see that his job as a Financial Advisor is more than just about investments. He is successful because he has founded his businness on the relationships he has formed with his clients. People who started out as his clients are now his friends. He works hard for his clients because he cares.

I have always enjoyed our father-daughter dates. These began at an early age for me, but unfortunately are less frequent now that I'm in college (and especially since I'm in Costa Rica.) Just recently we were recounting one of our early "dates." It was probably my 5th or 6th birthday and he took me to see the Pocahontas movie that had just come out. I was wearing a little Pocahontus costume, complete with jewerely. He recalls I was even wearing lipstick.

I particularly remember the time he surprised me by taking me to the Nutcracker Ballet. I specifically remember the dark red dress I wore that night. (It still hangs in my closet to this day.) I remember father daughter outings with girl scouts. I was so scared to go canooing, but he was there for me. On another outing I remember slicing my foot on metal. It probably wasn't as bad as I remember, but I do remember he carried me and cleaned up my wound.

During my high school years, our dates involved driving lessons around the SCC parking lot on weekends, and then later shopping for my first car (the green machine). Then after my first year of college we began test driving new cars on the weekends I came home. Although I loved the 2010 white mustang with brown leather interior, I tried not to get too attached, because we were searching for a "new-used car." I was perfectly content with getting a newer used car, but a few weeks after I had first seen it, he drove home with the 2010 white Mustang. I know it's not about material items, but my Daddy has given me so much.

Last summer, we made several trips to and from St. Augustine in search of my first apartment. Finally finding a place, we then began working on painting my furniture white during the weekends. He would sand and I would paint. I remember the day he moved me in. As my mom worked on organizing and cleaning, Daddy and I worked to put together my first kitchen table that we had picked out. Neither one of us felt like reading the directions, and we almost didn't complete the task because we couldn't find a bag of screws.

Most recently, we repainted my room. It was a bittersweet weekend, because we had painted it pink about 10 years earlier. At the time I was obsessed with the Pink Panther. We had a large piece of plywood. I drew the pink panther, he cut it with some tool, I painted it, and he hung it on my wall where it had remained until late April of this year. But we made new memories this summer as we painted my room a calming Tiffany Blue color.

More than just items, he has given me an abundance of love, time, and he has supported me with most everything I've wanted to pursue. I truly and blessed to have such a wonderful father and I'm really sad that I can't give you the huge hug that you deserve today. But in less than a week you will be here in Costa Rica with me!!

Daddy, I love you more than the sun and the moon and the stars and the whole big, wide world... HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!