A Real Man

I am a Daddy’s Girl. I have no shame in admitting that. I’m not spoiled. I’m not one of those girls that does no wrong in their Dad’s eyes and got everything they wanted. I just adore my dad.

My dad is the dad every little girl dreams of.

I followed my dad every where he went like a puppy. He used to tell my mom “my puppy is following me again”. That made me giggle and smile. Why hearing him say that made me so happy inside I have no idea. Didn’t matter what he was doing. Working on the car or fixing something around the house. I just loved being with my dad.

Dad with Aunt Karen

 

 

Saturday mornings were pancake mornings. I was always up early. Around 4am. I remember laying there waiting to hear him up. I didn’t want to make noise and wake anyone else up so I stayed in bed. Ok, that’s not completely true! I was too scared to get up but the main reason was I didn’t want anyone else to get up because I wanted my dad to myself for a while. Making pancakes was our thing. He taught me to crack eggs. That was my job in making pancakes. All though the first time didn’t go so well. I actually wrung the eggs out like a wash cloth. So my dad had to dig shells out but hey, I was barely 3yrs old.

So many cherished memories. I had curly blonde hair so he called me Curly Sue or Shirley Temple. I was so ticklish that all he had to do was act as if he were going to tickle me. I giggled so hard and fell to the floor unable to move. I stood on my dad’s feet to dance with him. I’m not sure if I did this to be taller or because he has big feet and I didn’t want him to step on me. Maybe both. Either way I’m certain it all started because I would push my way between my parents when they hugged. I didn’t want to be left out. I even shaved with my dad. Of course I didn’t really shave! I just pretended. Watching closely in the mirror mimicking his every move.

He isn’t perfect. No one is. Many days there were hurt feelings as a little girl. My dad didn’t seem to have much patience when he first got home from work. He would snap at us.  We just missed him and wanted to play. We didn’t understand why he didn’t miss us and want to play just as much as we did. After working and having a family of my own of course I get it now. He just needed a few minutes.

By all means make sure you feed him! Cranky when he’s hungry. 🙂

 

 

 

All of the memories and moments shared with my dad were the beginning of why I fell in love with him as a little girl. Later and more importantly I fell in love with the man he is. What he stands for. Integrity and honesty above everything else.

Mom and Dad on their wedding day

 

He loves my mom and he showed that every day. I’ve never doubted the love he has for my mom. That’s something I wish every child could grow up seeing. The love between two parents that mine have. They were and still are a team. They respect each other and what ever they are faced with they work through it together.

Mom and Dad

 

 

My dad is a quiet man and to some probably doesn’t seem to have much emotion. Words may not always be spoken. I think for this reason it may have created uncertainty for my siblings as to how he felt about them.

When I went through my divorce it was my dad I wanted by my side. I will never forget something he said during that time. He said Shannon I love you and I may not have shown it enough. I didn’t want to make it any harder on your brothers and sister and I was trying to make sure they knew I loved them. I love all of you.  I told him I knew that. I understood and I never doubted how he felt about me.

He didn’t know that in doing all of those things he did. How he loved my mom and how he wanted my brothers and sister to know they were loved. He was showing me what love really is.

My dad showed me what a man, husband, and father should be.