My Daddy is That Kind of Man

Little girl all dressed up begging her daddy to buckle her shoes......

It was Daddy who taught me how to put  bows in my laces. I was all of five and I remember all my friends could tie and make pretty bows. So he sat me down with all the patience of any man I have ever met and he stayed with me until I got it right.
And through the years this man raised me with a strong and gentle hand. He never confused the two. And I understood what it meant for a man to love his wife by watching him love and take care of my Mama. I remember him always working but, never too busy for his girls.

I remember "Gun Smoke" on Saturday nights with a large Hershey's Candy bar split between the three of us as we waited for Mama to come home from work. I remember running wild all over the back yard on hot summer nights as he chased us with the lawn mower......Never coming close but, always making us think he was right there.
I remember long bike rides through the flats, Daddy crashing and me running right over the top of him.....I remember going turkey hunting and shooting woodchucks. I remember dancing in the living room to the oldies, daddy taking turns with each of his girls. I remember the long rides up to klipnocky, and the fifty acre lot on a hay wagon to go cut wood for the winter. I remember his long talks and the nights he would come sit at the edge of my bed trying to get me to open up..........

I remember him coming to know that safe, saving place where grace filled him up and made him whole. I remember my hand trembling, my lips quivering, my heart pounding as he held my hand and walked me down the isle to give me away. I remember the first time he saw his very first grandchild and held him as if would never let go.

I remember losing him for 11 minutes on May 8th 2012 and feeling the weight of the world laying heavy on my shoulders thinking I would never get to hold that man again this side of heaven.

What I remember is a Daddy filled with patience, an honest man, Hard working to a fault, give you the shirt off his back kind of man, too honest (is there such a thing?) Very friendly to every one! Wide smile, talk your ear off if you let him kind of man.......Big heart, stubborn pride kind of man.

My Daddy is the Man that God has chosen to bless me, my Mama and sister with and I couldn't of chosen a better man for the job......Oh how I love that man, stubborn, sweet, sensitive, strong I'll take it all and wrap it up in ribbons so I can untie them for the rest of my days here this side of heaven.......

Happy Father's day Daddy!!!! I love you with all my heart!