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Happy Birthday Dad!
In honor of my dad this post is going to be exclusively about him.
He is caring, hard working, loving, adventurous, helpful. There are many things that I love about my dad, but here are the top few.
When we were little, my sister and I shared a room. Every night before as we lay in bed my dad would come in to hug us goodnight and then as he turned out the light he would say, “Goodnight sweeties!” I loved that so much.
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He would also let my sister and I ”fix” his beard. We would put barretts, clips, and rubberbands in his beard, just like we would for our dolls. I think the mailman came to the door one time too. There wasn’t enough time to get all the barretts out. Sorry dad!
We had many adventures throughout our childhood, like: running, biking, swimming, and camping. We had a mile loop around a couple of blocks in our neighborhood that we would run/walk in the evening. Sometimes to make things more interesting we would stop at every intersection and do 10 pushups (we would hope each time a car would not be coming before we reached number 10).
We would also ride our bikes all over Seguin, sometime to the schools to play on the playground or to ride through the sprinklers, and during the summer to the TLU (Texas Lutheran University) pool where we had a summer membership. We would also ride to Dairy Queen or Sonic for a nice treat! My senior year in highschool, the last day of school my dad and I also rode 20 miles to a town nearby just for fun (on our bicycles). My dad works 12 hour shift work so he would be off during the week every 2-3 days.
We also loved to go camping. We went mostly to Bastrop State Park (our favorite, and only an hour away) where would hike, ride bikes, swim and tell campfire stories. Really silly ones (hardly ever scary). My dad made sure that we left the campsite spotless each time we left. We also got to go camping in the Davis Mountains and Colorado. One time we each got to bring a friend (1 dad with 6 kids). He was brave.
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I also have fond memories of going to the beach at least one time each summer. We would play in the sun all day long with wonderful crab and shrimp boils in the evening.
We would also practive shooting the bow and arrow in the back yard. We never had a dull moment.
He also loves motorcycles (specifically Harley-Davidson). I remembered taking rides, just me and him, along the winding country roads, with the wind blowing in my face, enjoying the beauty of our surroundings.
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My dad is also always willing to help someone in need. One day, when I was in college at ASU, my car wouldn’t start. My dad drove the 3.5 hours to figure out what was wrong with the car and then drove back in the same day (after buying me lunch). He also always helps me move from place to place.
My dad always made things fun for us and was ready for any adventure we were willing to try.
In an interview with my dad, here is what he had to say.
Heather: Now that your kids are grown, what do you like to do for fun?
Dad: Ride my bike.
H: Now, do you ride or drive a motorcycle?
D: Ride, like you would ride a horse.
H: How many motorcycles have your had?
D: 4
H: Which one is your favorite?
D: The one I have now.
H: What is the farthest you have driven on your bike and how long did it take?
D: To Waxahachie, about 4 hours. I went to the Kema Boardwalk. That was about 4 hours.
H: Have you even been in a wreck on your bike?
D: I have been rear-ended two times. Once when I was stopped at a light.
H: What is your favorite memory from when we were kids? What did you like about it?
D: Going camping at Bastrop. (Chuckling) And the campfire stories.
H: Do you feel brave taking 6 kids by yourself to Lake Livingston?
D: No, it was normal.
H: Did you have any motivation for doing all the things we did as a kid?
D: I just wanted everyone to have fun. The whole family. I want to go camping again, but I think it might be boring to go by myself with no one to talk to.
H: Maybe we can plan a trip to go camping. Chad and I have been wanting to go for a while now. Sara and Marcus can come too.
H: How do you feel about 2 of your kids living far and 2 near to you.
D: I do not want to meddle. I want them to have their own lives, but I also want to be a part of their lives.
H: Would you rather be at work or work on your yard?
D: What do you think? I want to be retired. I would rather be outside working on the yard, but I have to work because I want too many toys.
H: Do you wish you would have had more kids?
D: No. Four was good. Now I have grandkids.
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H: Now for some general questions. What is your favorite drink?
D: Tea or coke. Probably tea, I drink it more.
H: What is your favorite type of movie?
D: Action
H: What is your favorite type of music and your favorite band?
D: Rock or heavy metal. Metallica.
(Did I mention my dad took us to a Smashing Pumpkins concert when I was in middle school and a Metallic concert when I was in highschool. I can also probably tell you all the words to the songs on the black Metallica CD).
H: What do you like to read?
D: About motorcycles and hunting.
H: Would you rather live in the city or country?
D: The country.
H: What is your favorite sweet?
D: Chocolate. Dark chocolate.
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That’s a good one to end on. Dark chocolate.
Happy Birthday Dad!
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