Happy Birthday Dad

Today is my dad's birthday. My dad is awesome. Like, if you look up the word "awesome" in the dictionary, you will find his name there. So today, in honor of him and his birthday, I am going to share some old-ish pictures with you and tell you about him.

 He loves his family. And honestly, he is a really sweet guy. I have always like the poem "Footprints" (read it here) and one day he came home with a key chain for me that had footprints on one side and these words on the other: "My precious child, I love you and I would never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering, when you see only on set of footprints, it was then that I carried you." 

 He's a really fun (and funny) guy. 

 He loves my mom a lot. He made the above arrangement one Valentine's Day for her.

 Whether it's ice skating, hiking, fishing, snowball fights, playing a video game or board game, horse back riding, or really anything else, he's always game to do new (and old) stuff with us kids.  

 He is incredibly supportive. In the above picture, I was riding my first horse for the first time and he was right beside me in case I needed him. He has spent countless hours helping me with algebra and geometry, and has never once complained. He is the type of dad who is very supportive, but lets you be your own person and make your own decisions. 

He has taken me on so many adventurous. To the Czech Republic, to Kenya, to Amsterdam, to Germany. He has given me a love of traveling, and I am not sure if I should love him or hate him for that since I don't want to stay home now.... :)

He isn't afraid of what others think. He loves the Lord with all of his heart, and isn't afraid to share his faith. He is such a good example to me and so many others of what following Christ should look like. He isn't perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but neither is anybody else. 

 My dad is loyal. My dad is smart. My dad is handsome. My dad is funny. My dad is loving. My dad is helpful. My dad is awesome. My dad is adventurous. My dad is sweet. My dad is cool. 

And I am beyond blessed to have him for a dad. 

 So dad, happy birthday. I hope you have a fantastic day, and that in the next year you will continue to have awesome adventurous and grow in Christ even more. Thanks for being my dad. I love you!