The effect he has on me...

{First day of kindergarten}

In honor of Fathers Day, I could go all "cliche" and list reasons my Dad is "the best Dad in the world" {and being the biased daughter I am, I think he is} but I've already done that before- and though that way may have been cliche, it's all facts. Today, I thought I would share specifics with you about how special my relationship is with my Dad, and I bet many of you can relate!

Not even realizing it, he has this uncanny ability to make me fall apart. For instance, I can be all strong and holding it together {in any circumstance} and it's either the second he looks at me or the second he reaches out to give me one of his big hugs, I just completely lose it. It's one of those "I need you" {"and your sympathy"} meltdowns. My entire life it has been this way... even now. {I think Julie and Jessica are nodding their heads right now because he has this effect on all of us.}

Should I give you examples so you're not interpreting the paragraph above that he makes me cry a lot? :)

After every basketball game I used to play- whether we won or lost- if I had a bad game, I would hold it together through the whole entire post game coaches speech, walk across the gym to my family and Aaron and the second I would make eye contact with my Dad, I fell into his arms and lost it. Maybe it was because of the hours upon hours he worked with me on my shot, playing horse, playing one-on-one in the driveway. I wasn't crying because I felt I had let him down, I was upset because he knew better than anyone how hard we had worked together. After I had my "moments" with him, he would constructively teach me the things I should work on and tell me how proud he was that I had done the best I could do.

Before every race I ever run, I have to have a pep talk from Dad. {He's been my running partner since I was 6 yrs. old and working out and racing is one way we have always bonded. When I went away to college, I stopped working out and running regularly because I thought, "what's the point? Dad's not here to go with me" and college quickly made me realize that he was the main reason I have always loved to run. Of course now I'm a "big girl" and I've learned to love running even when I'm not by his side, but it's taken me awhile :) }. But after races where I had given everything I had, and I came up short {in my opinion, not his} he was always there for that big sweaty tearful hug at the finish line.

Speaking of that same scenario, my marathon I ran a few months ago had the same ending. I saw him and I just lost it {and I wanna say Court almost did the same thing when she saw him... it's ok though, he's like her second Dad}.

... and if you were there on my wedding day, well, you probably saw it first hand.

I guess no matter how old you are, you need your Dad. His affirmation, his affection, his advice, his time... To say my Dad is very special to me is an understatement. He's always been my biggest fan, coach, and encourager. I have the self-respect and confidence that I do because of the time he has spent with me, the constructive criticism and advice he has given me, and those hugs every morning and night and I can't forget the meltdown moments. It makes me tear up to even write this because I don't know how I could be more thankful to God for blessing me with a Dad like him. I am so proud that I can call him mine, and I am beyond humbled to be his daughter.

I love you Dad, Daddio, Cool Dad, Joe!!! {and I could've named more but I wouldn't want to embarrass my sisters now would I?} :)