To My Dad on Father's Day...

Dear Dad,

I know every year on Father's Day I get you a decently sappy card and tell you that I wouldn't be where I am without you and how much I love you. Well, Dad  - this year is not really any different. Your card is in the mail and I'm pretty sure I wrote those exact words again. The biggest difference is that this year your card is coming from the Middle East - and your little girl is far far away from home. I don't think the card is sufficient enough this year. So this blog post is dedicated to you; because I want you to know just WHY I love you so much.

I always tell people that I have the best Dad in the world - NO Dad can do things like you (scratch that) no man can do things like you do (sorry Andrew....when it comes to fixing things, building things, car things...my dad still has you beat....I still love you though) I'm pretty sure Andrew gets frustrated because I often start sentences with, "Well, my Dad would probably do it this way..." I just can't help it. And as Brandon (my brother-in-law) says, when us girls talk about you, we get a little sparkle in our eye. And as far as I'm concerned that's how it should be.

So WHY are you the best? Well, let me tell you some of my favorite reasons.

For starters, you have always believed in me more than anyone else. Growing up, I'm not sure I succeeded so much because that's just how I was - or because you believed in me and I was Daddy's Little girl and just wanted to live up to what you saw in me. I'm pretty sure that you still believe that I can do anything. (I can build a website, right? No. There are some things I can't do).

You loved me enough to let me go. You let me move away to California for college - I will never forget how hard I cried as you drove away. Nor will I ever forget how you came to my dorm room prepared with your tools and made sure that I had everything I could ever need - TV mounted on the wall, shelving, TONS of food. You name it, I had it. You have ALWAYS taken care of me. (Andrew says you spoiled us - I say that's just how Dad's are supposed to be!)

Last year I locked my keys in my car in Maryland. In a panic, I called Andrew who was in Florida at the time. He said, "Well...what am I supposed to do?" I said, "I don't know - my dad would know - my dad would tell me where he put a Hide-A-Key on my car in case this happened!" He just laughed at me....

I was telling this story to Brittney and she cracked up laughing. Apparently SHE locked her keys in her car while she was in college and she called you. You told her to open her spare tire case and look inside. There, taped to the case, was a spare key with a note that said, "Love, Dad"...these are just perfect little examples of how you always looked after your girls. Taking care of us no matter where we are.

I remember being little and watching Matt and Stephanie get in trouble for things...I would run and fix whatever it is that they did wrong and say, "I didn't do anything wrong, did I Daddy?" And they would tease me by saying, "Kristi has her halo on again!" (I know, how annoying right?) Well...that's right...I was Daddy's Little Angel - and I lived up to it. Hey, I was the third child - I had to have something to call my own.

I love that our family has fun together. One of my friends was talking about how she had never seen her Dad drink...and I thought - how boring! Then I proceeded to tell her the story about that Thanskgiving when we were playing another SUPER competitive game of Cranium (which Mom was I'm sure cheating at) and you came out with the bottle of Tequila and the whistle! Pouring shots in our mouths and shaking our heads just like they do in Cabo (I'm pretty sure you just got back from vacation!)...but that was a GOOD night! How many people can say their Dad did that? I love that as adults we can still have a great time. That night was EPIC!!!

I love our families recent trips to the Ocean - all 20 or so of us in the one cabin. Eating, drinking, playing games, Go Kart races, and just being together. Those are the days that I want to remember forever. No matter how long I've been away from home - it always feels just like it did when I left.

As many good memories as I have - there are plenty of times I can remember being on your bad side too. Not going to bed at night, and hearing your footsteps on the stairs coming up to lay the smack down...we would move like lightning to get back into bed! Or...the thousandth time I asked you if I was adopted (since Matt and Stephanie had me convinced that I was) you finally cracked and screamed, "YOU ARE NOT ADOPTED DAMMIT!" Yep...I never pressed that issue again. Or the time that you had to pull Stephanie and Brittney apart when they got in a hair-pulling fight (oh wait, that wasn't when we were little...that was just a few years ago!) You get the point. You didn't just spoil us, there was discipline and boundaries - and for that I respect you and love you too. Though maybe Brittney should have had more boundaries though...she's a little spoiled! (Hahaha...love you Britt but you know it's true! Do I need to remind you about the roller blades or baby bed?)

Now as I'm older I love you for different reasons, like the way you love Caden and Davis. I know that you've seen Davis very briefly, but your love for him is immense. I know it's killing you that we are so far away and that you are missing out on this first years, but don't worry, I talk about you all the time and we will be home to visit before you know it.

This was your first time holding Davis...I know that smile on your face is pure love. My boys are so lucky to have a grandpa like you. Even though they don't get to see you often, I know that if we were close enough you would be at every sporting event, every school program, every special occasion, and anything in between, just like you are for all of your other grandchildren. You would be right there, loving them and taking lots of pictures! No reason needed to see your grandchildren - you are just there because you love them and because that's the kind of father and grandfather you are. My greatest wish is that one of our tours will be close enough for my sons to get to experience this kind of unconditional love from papa and mimi.

Davis will cherish every time we go to Washington to visit, and I can't wait for October when we will get to be with you again.

Your relationship with Caden is a different story. This is your first time holding him. You didn't have to wait 5 weeks until I came home. You were at the hospital for all 36 hours of my labor...and you never really left our side. You were there through all of my extremely difficult times during his first 2 years.

See you set the example for me on what to expect from a man and what it means to be a good man. Somehow I messed up though - and I made some wrong decisions and missteps along the way. When I fell, you picked me up. I remember being in tears as a newly single mom and trying to make ends meet. You came home with groceries and diapers from Costco and handed me a gas card to pay for my gas for a few months. It's the love and thoughtfulness behind those little things that bring tears to my eyes when I think back on it. I didn't even need to ask. You just knew. You were just there. No questions asked, nothing expected in return. It's just what you do. I literally could not have made it through those months without you.

I know that when Caden and I moved in with you and mom, there was no where else that I could have gone that would have provided the love and support that you guys did. You didn't just help me get back on my feet, you filled in that gap in Caden's life too. There are no words to describe what that meant to us. That was such a confusing and hard time for both of us, and you guys were our constant. I could stop worrying about the little things because we had you guys in our corner. I can't imagine what would have happened to us without you. I know we would have been fine, because that's how you raised me - I could have taken care of myself...but because of you guys, we were more than fine. We thrived again.

Some of my favorite moments of living with you were the nights when we would just cook dinner, or you would make your delicious chile verde, or shrimp tacos, or cook from Grandma's cookbook. I still love walking into your house and seeing that you've been cooking. Those are always some of my favorite meals. I loved when you would come home with a Starbucks for me and a treat for Caden. Or when we would just watch a movie together. The little things. No grand gestures needed, you were just there.

By far one of my favorite memories was the time that you took, me, Brittney, and Caden to the Puyallup Fair. Thank you for teaching us how to eat our way through the fair...that's just how it's supposed to be done! That day was so much fun. It was so special to me.

That was a day I will ALWAYS remember. Just us and our Dad. Then...you once again proved how awesome you are when we got home and realized that when you had folded up the stroller to put it away in the car, my camera had fallen out. After a LONG day at the fair, you just hoped right back in your car, drove an hour and a half back to Puyallup, found the camera (though it had been run over, we salvaged the pictures) and came back home. See, Dad, you've set the bar so very very high.

I thank you for loving me enough to pick me up when I had fallen - see me get back on my feet - and letting me go again. When I met Andrew I knew that he was a man that was finally as good of a man as you. When we moved to Maryland you didn't hold us back. I can't even imagine how hard it was to see one of your girls move so far away, and this time take a grandson too. Thank you for just supporting me and loving me in your quiet way. I think one of the things that made it easy to leave was knowing that I can ALWAYS come back. NO matter what or when or why...you will always welcome me back and be there for me however you can be.

Luckily, things worked out for the best in Maryland. Even though you were so far away you still found ways to show us how wonderful you are. I think people are still talking about the "Father-of-the-Bride Smoked Salmon" from our wedding. You spent hours and hours smoking that salmon, packaging it, and getting it out to Maryland with you for our big day, and that small gesture meant so much to me. Bringing the taste of the Pacific Northwest to Maryland. It was SO delicious - but it was also SO special to me.

Thank you for being there for our wedding day. I know it was a long way to travel, but you were there, and our family was there...because that's just the kind of family you and mom raised. No matter what or where, we will be there for each other. Having my two best men walk me down the aisle to the love of my life. A moment I will never ever forget. I cried like a baby. This walk meant so much. You truly helped me get to this point. A lot of people say, "I wouldn't be where I am without my dad" - and I can't stress how very true this is. All the happiness I have in my life right now, I feel like it would not have been possible without my family and my dad. 

I want you to know dad...I may be half a world a way...heck, I don't know if I could get further away if I tried...but I am TRULY happy. I feel as though I am exactly where I am supposed to be. So don't worry about me or the boys, we are doing wonderfully. And even though it may not seem like it...

I will ALWAYS need my Daddy. 

I will always think to call you when I lock myself out of my car, or need to fix something on the house, or can't figure out how to make a toilet stop running, or don't know why my car is making a funny noise. In my eyes - no one can do these things like you can. 

So here's to you Dad, for believing in me, for loving me, for watching me make mistakes and loving and supporting me through them, for picking me up when I have fallen, for letting me go again, for being my constant...I thank you. I love you...and I know I have the best Dad in the world, and my boys have the best Papa in the world. You are an amazing man and I am so lucky that I get to call you 

MY DAD

I love you, Happy Father's Day

Love, Kristi Kay