My Dad...

Happy Father's Day to all the Dads I know and love. Of course, first on the list are my own Dad, Clyde and my man, Andre. Both of whom are easily the best father's I know.
I appreciate my Dad more than he will probably ever know. I love everything he ever did for my sis and I. (And, truth be told, he is an excellent father for my younger bro and sis. I just wasn't there for most of it.) So, I would like to take some time and skip down memory lane growing up with my Dad. Here are some fun facts/memories about Dad.

When I was a young girl, my Dad

~always smelled like aftershave
~wore a cool blk leather vest
~liked his black slacks folded in a very particular way (for this I am thankful because I have always known how to hang a pair of mens slacks to get the crease JUST right)
~had a great mustache
~taught me how to ride a bike
~allowed me the opportunity to live with my grandparents and know them and love them in a way most kids my age did not understand.
~drove us around in a really cool white mercury marquis (fond memories of this car that i lovingly refer to as "the boat")
~brought home a pretty lady named Rhonda that he would later marry
~didn't yell at us
~let us ride with him in the fire truck during the 4th of July parade
~loved peanut m&m's
~had special nights where he became a gourmet chef and made us things like homemade pizza, chinese food, mexican food, etc.
~taught me how to long jump, throw the shot put, run as fast as my chubby legs would take me
~scared off the boys who would not even dare to knock on our front door
~played tennis with us at the park
~taught me how to shoot a free throw (follow thru!)
~bought us a comodore 64
~encouraged me to play sports even in the things I wasn't the best at
~coached my basketball team
~let me stay up late sometimes and watch movies
~took me fishing where we got to eat Hershey chocolate bars
~kept me safe
~gave me a great family to grow up in
~passed along some great dark hair and a distinctive "Gore" nose
~made me feel like I had the best childhood any kid could ever ask for

Thank you Dad for being such a great person and teaching me so many great lessons. Now that I have children of my own, I look to your example and strive to be the kind of parent you have always been to me.
I love you and I thank you for everything!!!