Dad

For as long as I can remember, my mom bought us a box of chocolate heart candies from Aglemesis every Valentine's Day.  It was always on the table when we got up in the morning.  Every year...except for one.

My mom has had back problems on and off most of her adult life.  When I was in high school, her back went into spasm mode and she was in bed for days, maybe weeks.  Over Valentine's Day.  That meant my dad was in charge.

My dad is an engineer.  When I say that, I mean an engineer to his very core.  If he had not gone to college and worked at GE, say he had become a farmer, he would be a farmer analyzing facts, making lists, and scheduling every minute of his farm loving day.  Those of you who know me, know I am not like that at all.  Those of you who know teenage high school girls can imagine how well Dad and I connected during that phase of my life.  Those differences are what makes that one Valentine's Day more memorable than any other.

My dad went out, and without any direction from my mom, went to one of my favorite stores and bought me a 100% silk scarf along with the box of chocolates.  My dad went to the mall FOR ME!!!!  I was so amazed and truly touched, that it will always be the most memorable Valentine's day gift ever.  More memorable than the necklaces, gold bracelets, watches, flowers, chocolates, and rings (engagement and otherwise) that have followed. 

That is why I am picking this day to say thank you to my dad.  Thank you for reading to me every night so that I learned to love books.  Thank you for helping me carve countless pumpkins and dye zillions of Easter eggs.  Thank you for making it to track meets, cross country meets, cheer leading and brain numbing dance recitals.  Thank you for convincing mom to give me another chance after a year of too much fun and not enough study at college as an undergrad.  Thank you for opening up your home to me and my kids when we needed someplace to stay.  Thank you for being so patient with Sam.  Thank you for being such a good role model for Max and Josey.  Thank you for too many things to ever list in a single blog post.  But most of all, thank you for giving me the Valentine's Day gift to end all gifts when I was an obnoxious, bratty, undeserving teenager.