My Daddy. Happy Father's Day Weekend!

I didn't always call him "Daddy".

I used to call him "Dad".

I don't know when I decided to call him Daddy.  I guess around the same time I started calling my sister "Sister".

I use nicknames for everyone.

Anyway.

Father's Day is such a special day.  Since my mom is not around, sister and my two brothers get to give all the lovin to my daddy.

You know, (and I know you know this) Dads love in all different kinds of ways.

I love that fathers now-a-days are so hands on.  You know, Dove commercials this week have made sure that we know that.

My father was hands on before "hands on dads" was popular.

I don't mean the hands on kind that changed diapers and cleaned the house and kept the kids and (important) stuff like that.

No disrespect daddy, it just wasn't what dads in that era did.  

My dad was hands on in other things.

Lets take sports for example.

I am here to tell you that he had my siblings and me in every sport that you could possibly do.

We were swimming competitively before the age of 5, gymnastics at four, tee ball, whatever there was to do sports wise, we did it.  And I cannot tell you how supportive he was. BUT, you had to do YOUR BEST.  "Good" wasn't good enough.  You had to be great at it.

I cannot tell you the times that I was around his friends growing up and was just so embarrassed because he would brag about my siblings or me right in front of me.

He was so incredibly proud of us and still is.  I'm sure people got so tired of the bragging.

but that is just who he is and who he will always be.

now.

The one most important thing that my father told me?

YOU CAN DO WHATEVER YOU PUT YOUR MIND TO.

Don't ever, ever let anyone tell you different.  That comment has stayed in my mind since he told me that 50 years ago.

he also told me to wear deodorant....

that was important. :)

and

He taught me to use correct grammar....wait, correction.  He POUNDED it into my head.

he still does.  But now, he himself gets lie and lay mixed up.  Only because I think he's corrected us so much that now he's confused on the correctness of the correct. Does that make sense?

Bennett "Callaway" was named after him and shares his birth date!

and oh how he loves those great grand babies.

and Auburn.

If I had a million years, I could never tell you how proud he is of his girls.  Each and every one of them.  His cup runneth over.

He taught me how to throw a ball like a boy (that's very important for those fathers of girls out there)

I'm serious.

He tells sister and me all the time how proud he is that we are so close.

And he tells me how proud he is of me and how much he loves me all the time.

Circa 1985

We have a humongous family of kids.

and we are silly.  and we have a great time together.  That is probably what my daddy is most proud of.

To my sweet, sweet daddy!

I love you so much!

xxxooo

me