Good Like a Medicine

Today we celebrated my dad’s birthday (I’ll be nice - but he’s over 50 now)! He’s so young! I’m up in SC with my children, and we have had a restful and fun week. Tonight we ate taco soup and sang “happy birthday” to “Papa,” and it was so good to be together. We were only missing Eric and my sister Jenn who are back in FL. Lydia ran around the house a million times with her buddy Rebekah, and they had a blast. They get so upset when we say “good night” and they have to go to bed.

It’s time for me to go to bed actually, but I wanted to write down these thoughts before they fly away. I love my father so much. Of course I don’t tell him enough, but I try. There are so many attributes that I respect about him, like his quiet tranquility, his big heart, provisional nature, his incredibly hard work ethic, his love for missions, his faithfulness to God, family, and Church, his personal frugality but willingness to give to others, his trustworthiness, his compassion, his devotion to his word, and his unwavering support for values and those he loves. Those are just a few…. not to mention that he’s the best-looking father of grown children in the world today. (I’d post a picture, but I’m not on my computer. He’s not vain like me and doesn’t have any head shots lying around on his hard drive!) Anyway, every day is hard, but recently the days in our family have been ultra-trying. Who has had a steady ear to hear me, a firm shoulder on which to rest my head? Good ‘ole daddy. I’m so thankful he’s always there for me - sometimes it’s to kick me in the pants a little and get me thinking right again, but usually it’s just to remind me in his own way (he always says, “Kristi, it’s just a thang…”) that God is in control and I need to lighten up a little bit. I think that’s what drew me to Eric - he’s just like my dad in that way. People like me who are so animated (can be a weakness and a strength!) need a straight, steady spouse. Well anyway, I love you, Daddy! I’m always praying for you, and I love you! Happy Birthday again!