Happy Birthday Dad

My Dad would have been 61 today. I thought in honor of his earthly birthday I would post a little history about him re: what a GREAT Dad, Son and Grandfather he was.

When I was just 8 years old my Mom & Dad divorced. My Dad was awarded full custody of me. He gave up a lot to be a full time Dad to me. He did not date, he worked harder and longer relying on his Mom and Dad to help out with my care. After my parent's divorce, my Dad learned how to cook for me and he also learned how to brush and curl my hair for me for school. In 1990, after a lot of coaxing from me for him to find a wife and step mom for me...he re-married. This turned out to be a HUGE mistake. One day I came home from school and Dad from work and she was gone as was ALL of our furniture.
Just prior to my parent's divorce I had gotten my ears pierced. When the time came for me to be allowed to change the earrings out for new ones, my Dad was there and learned how to do it himself. For years I would only allow him to touch my ears, and NO one else. I remember getting into a fight with my sister, where she ripped one of my earrings out. We were at my Grandparent's, and my Grandma tried to get me to let her put it back in, but I would not have it. She had to call my Dad who was in a meeting at work and have him come and take care of it. This was not the last time my Dad had to leave work to come "rescue" me. In the 7th grade I wore my Mom's wedding band to school and it got stuck on my finger and would not come off. The school had to call my Dad to come pick me up and take me to the fire dept. to have it cut off.  In the 9th grade, I called my Dad from school petrified that some girl was going to kill me bc her "boyfriend" sat with me on the bus. Again he was in a meeting and his car was being worked on, but that did not stop him...he showed up in front of the school in a Sheriff's cruiser. (did I mention my Dad was a Major for the Sheriff's Dept?) Shortly after graduation I went with a few friends to Myrtle Beach, this was my first trip so far from home (Ohio) with out family. After being there for just a couple days, all my friends had spent their money and I still had mine. I was miserable and wanted to come home. I again called my Dad...he offered to drive the 12 hrs to come and get me, but I decided to tough it out since we would only get home a day earlier anyway, but I have never forgotten he was willing to come to my rescue once again.
My Senior year in high school a friend asked me to go with her to her brother's football game at a college in Indiana. I knew I would not be allowed to go since my Dad did not know her parents, so I asked if I could spend two nights with this girl and go to her brother's football game. I left out that the game was in Indiana. Dad let me go and when he found out, when we were on our way back, he was not too happy with me. Lucky for me I had just turned 18, so I did not get into trouble. He actually "admired" my creativeness. After that NO MATTER where I asked to go, he always asked me where it was, State and City. Even if it was to "the mall" he would make me specify.
In 1997 my Dad retired from the Sheriff's Dept for the LOVE of his life...my niece. (who at the time was two years old) She lived with my Grandma and she needed help taking care of her. In 2002, my sister and her husband needed a place to live, my Dad offered them his home and he moved out and into my Grandmother's home to help to take care of her and again my niece who was now in school and 6 1/2 yrs old.
In 1998 I met a new boy (until this point I had the same boyfriend for five years)...this new boy was ALL wrong for me, but I did not see it. He cheated, drank, etc. My Dad sat up with me all night one night waiting for this boy to re-turn home so that I could confront him about the cheating. When I chose to forgive the boy my Dad did not say a word. He was big on letting me make my own mistakes. He was never happier when I finally smarted up and left this boy. He again stayed up with me while I cried.
In 1999 I was diagnosed with cervical cancer and had to have surgery to remove it.  While this was an out patient procedure my Dad was there through out it. A few days later I was diagnosed with a blood clot and in the hospital for 10 days...my Dad stayed with me each night so that I did not have to be alone.
In 2005 when CJ was to be born...my Dad came to the hospital with us in the middle of the night for me to be induced. He did not leave the hospital until after CJ was born...two days later. He then came back to stay with me at the hospital so that CJ could stay in the room with me, since PJ had to go back to work. After having CJ, I got another blood clot...in order for me to be released from the hospital I had to have someone be with me around the clock. My Mom and PJ both worked full time and so my Dad again was there for me to take care of me and my newborn son, his Grandson, his pride and joy.
I could go on and on, (I have) but I wanted to pay tribute to my Dad today. I could not have asked for a better Dad. I love him and miss him with all of my heart and look forward to when I will be re-united with him in Heaven.

Thank you for making it through this long post.

Happy Birthday Dad, I love you and I mean it.