Day 11: Thankful for my Dad

Today my dad came home from surgery that he had yesterday and so he has been much on my mind today. I know I already wrote a post about how thankful I am for my parents, but with my mind really thinking about Dad today, I felt like I should just say how thankful for him I am! My Dad means the world to me and I am so thankful God chose him to be my dad. He has always been there for me - no matter what - from taking me fishing and camping when I was little (the camping part is debatable on how fun that was - ha ha!), rescuing me in a major blizzard, listening to my car woes when things would go wrong, making sure we were taken care of, coming to watch me cheer at football and basketball games, praying with and for me when I was struggling with anxiety issues and this list could go on and on. I know I can count on him and he cares for me. One day I was driving home from college class in a pretty major snowstorm. I got maybe a mile and pulled over in a K-Mart parking lot knowing I couldn't possibly drive the rest of the way (about another 12 miles). I immediately knew I could call my dad and he would rescue me. I was confident of this - didn't even have to guess what he would do. Sure enough he did- he came and in the freezing cold changed my wiper blades. He cut his hand pretty bad while doing it - and didn't even know he had cut it because it was so cold outside. I was sitting in the car and saw the blood on the car window. Never once did he complain or try to come up with another idea. He simply came and rescued me. He drove me safely home. That day is forever stuck in my mind. I want to be that kind of parent, the one that my kids know that no matter the situation, I will always be there for them and do my very best to help. It was also a picture to me of Christ-like love. I know Christ suffered and gave us much more than my dad did that day - but what my dad did was a clear picture of how we are to love others and how Christ loved us. My dad is the best. I usually don't go more than a day or two without talking to him and really miss him. We have fun together and have lots of fun memories. I treasure our yearly father/daughter Christmas shopping trip, our fantasy Nascar games, driving around looking at Christmas lights listening to the Statler Brothers, playing Nerts with him (that is a story all to itself), watching him play with my kids, and just getting to be with him. I love watching Allie smile when she says the word "Grandpa" because I can tell he is leaving a lasting impression on her too - she loves him so much! She gets the cutest grin and says, "I am grandpa's heart."

I am thankful his surgery went well and that we get to spend Thanksgiving together! I love my dad and am so glad God gave him to me! I am blessed!