30til30: day 4, dad

so, we took a great memorial day getaway to cloudcroft, new mexico with several of our friends. i tried to get ahead and it just didn’t happened, so now i’m playing catch-up. i do plan to have this series wrapped up by monday (june 1!), i’m just not sure how all that is going to work out. but regardless, this was the post planned for thursday, may 28.

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i have 30 days until i celebrate my 30th year of life. i thought i would share with you 30 people, events and situations that have shaped my life and who i want to be. it has been very challenging to come up with 30…i hope it inspires you as it has me. this part of the list is in a specific order.

day 4: dad

i was born the year my dad turned 30. the oldest of three girls. we grew up in a very loving home. having grown up rather poor, my dad did his best to provide us with everything he could – which was quite a bit – without spoiling us.

when i was nine, dad entered me in a contest to win free karate lessons. before i could officially enroll in class at the studio, he wanted me to prove my perseverance – at nine years old, i had to run three miles without stopping. if i wasn’t tenacious before, i became so that night.

from my dad, i learned the value of hard work. we spent hours slaving away in the yard and gardens. in fact, our neighbor occasionally teased that there are such things as child labor laws. we worked hard, but we certainly weren’t abused. though dad wanted us to never go without, we still had to earn our way to camps and other activities. working in the yard was one way we earned money for those things.

my dad is also one of the most generous people i know. he paid for (private) college for each of us girls. each of us had a car to drive when we turned 16. every time michael and i are in town, he takes us out to eat.

my dad is loyal and faithful, especially to his family (a characteristic rebecca inherited). While he might not always agree with the choices his siblings or his girls make, he will support us regardless.

i did well when i chose to marry a man very much like my father.

i love you, dad.