My Supercool Dad

I read Kellie's post this morning about how she gets frustrated with her husband. And well I don't have a husband... but I do have a girlfriend. And while I may complain and whine to her a lot... she certainly holds up her end of the bargain. She may not be great about doing the dishes, but I can't by any means say that she doesnt do anything. And that makes me happy. And she's good at getting flowers, maybe that's just because she's a girl and gets what the fuss is about? But I like to think it's just because she's cute and thoughtful. haha. Let me pretend :)

But right... Kellies post. It got me thinking about my dad. He might be the coolest guy on earth. A little background. My dad started working at a local hardware store stocking the shelves when he was 16. Fast forward to today: he owns the store (how f'in cool is that?) I've never met a person who didnt love my dad. He's a fun guy, always up for a laugh, and just a great person to be around. Him and my mom were set up on a blind date. After the first date my mom swore she'd never go out with him again. It was apparently the worst date she'd been on. Somehow he convinced her to go out with him again. The night of the date my mom BEGGED her sister to answer the door and tell him she was sick. Bless my aunt, she said hell no! And made my mom go out with him. They fell in love on the second date. On their third date they were engaged. They are still happily married. Like sickeningly happy and in love. When I was little I thought it was so disturbing to see my parents kiss and be cutesy... but now I think its just adorable.

Clearly I'm daddys little girl. If you know me at all its painfully obvious. He doesnt spoil me horribly (not like those teeny boppers on MTVs My Super Sweet 16), but he does spoil me. For example, when I first really started riding and training for the MS 150 he decided he was going to do it with me as his best friend (my Godfather) has MS and it's really deteriorated him. My brother had gotten my dad an iPod that year for Christmas. Now this was before anyone I knew had an iPod. But my dad loves music and he's the hardest man to shop for (exactly what do you get a man who OWNS a hardware store?) At first my dad didnt quite get the iPod, but he quickly became obsessed with it. He'd spend hours everynight uploading all of his CDs to iTunes and then put them on his pod. He hooked it up to the speakers at work and had all different playlists for different days, he listened to it when working around the house, he got the car adapter, he even got a unit for the bathroom so he could rock out while showering. The man didn't go far without his iPod. Well, my dad decided to get me one as a little MS 150 training incentive. As he didnt understand how I was going on long rides without an iPod! He got my brother one too so as not to play favorites and because he knew my bro would use it as well. So one random day we just each got a wrapped present from him and my mom. Thats the kind of spoiling I get. And I love it. haha.

Anyway... I just cant remember a day when my dad got home from work and was too tired to play with my brother and I. He's on his feet all day long. Often unloading deliveries of mulch or Weber Grills or other super heavy stuff. He deals with customers all day. But every night he'd come home, eat dinner with us, do the dishes (with my and bro's help), and then either take me to and from dance class or watch our silly TV shows with us or whatever. His day off is Monday. And guaranteed every Monday he's doing some sort of job around the house... waxing the floors, fixing something in the bathroom, mowing the lawn... the guy is a machine. He plays tennis 2 nights a week and used to play racket ball one night as well. Now that he's a bit older he plays golf like there's no tomorrow. But he does excel at any sport he tries (even freaking croquet! haha).

Not only is he an amazing dad, but he's a wonderful husband. Every year in my mom's stocking at Christmas she gets a little gift certificate for flowers to be delivered every other Saturday during the winter. My mom is really into her garden in the spring and summer and always has fresh flowers around. And one winter she was just so sad to never have fresh flowers... so now during the cold months she still always has fresh flowers around the house. One year for Valentines day my dad got red spray paint from work and painted a HUGE heart on the grass in the backyard (it was the size of the yard) that had their initials inside it. We have a big window in the great room that looks out to the backyard so its the first thing my mom saw when she woke up and came downstairs that morning. And it was there until the grass grew long enough that it got chopped off. So for a few months it was just chillin in the background... so everyone could see how freakin adorable my dad is. heehee

I mean really.. how can you not like my dad? He's just the cutest. And I just felt the need to let everyone know how totally awesome and cool my dad is (and it doesnt hurt that we are painting our apartment and hit up daddy for paint and supplies while we were home over christmas heehee. A hardware store can be so useful!)