Thursday Thirteen (My Daddy)

This is really one day off, but since it's still Thursday but thirty minutes from Friday, it's close enough to count (in my opinion....and it's my blog, so that's all that really counts anyways....hahahah. j/k)......

Anyways, I decided to do today's thirteen on my daddy......whose birthday is tomorrow.

Thirteen Favorite Memories/Things I Love About My Daddy:

1. His laugh. It's very distinctive but it makes him a distinctly cheerful person.

2. The time we were riding across one of the northern state lines....we were either going or coming from my grandma's in NY and she was in the back seat of the van with me and my brother, and for miles my mother had been telling dad he needed to stop and get gas, but he kept saying it would be cheaper over the border. And then I looked up from the book I was reading to find out why the car was coasting over to the edge of the road. And then dad had to walk over the hill (and I think it was actually across the border) with a jug to get enough gas to make it to the gas station. Ahhh...fond memories. (See honey, I get my love of hanging out on "E" honestly!!!)

3. His Italian-ness. I love my dark-skinned daddy. I also love the permanent tan I inherited from him. (unfortunately, I didn't get enough to cover my legs....they are blindingly white....ROFL!!! But hey...I'm only half eye-tal-e-un after all...what do you expect? At least the tan part is the part of my body that everyone sees.....I can hide my legs, but I'd look pretty funny wearing a skirt over my face!! BWHAAHAHA.....how did I get on this?)

4. The sweet way that he made gnocchi's for me and my momma for our birthdays in March. And the way we never told him, but I had been hoping that he would! And then he did. Awww.

5. How concerned he is over my health. So much so, that he buys me vitamins and protein and calls me to make sure I'm taking them. Do you know that every time I see the bottle on my desk, I reach over and grab one so that when he calls, I won't have to feel guilty b/c I haven't taken them. Hahaah.

6. The bike rides he used to take my brother and me on when we were kids. We were never allowed to leave our property on our bikes, but when dad would take us, he'd take us to far off places....like down to the lake or over to our friends house (which was several miles away). One time one of us kids even made him wreck by accident cuz we stopped right in front of him and his tire caught ours and he rolled into the road on the rough pavement. He got scraped up pretty good. But he didn't get mad.

7. The way he built us a tree house.....and waited until we were big enough to help him build it....

8. Oh yeah, and the way he always made us come outside and help him when he was doing some kind of hard labor. I didn't appreciate it then, of course, but now that we've got kids??? Hehehehehehe.....different story!!! And of course the fact that I'm not one of those spoiled kids who never had to work and grew up lazy.....oh wait. I am kinda lazy. Oh well. Don't worry, dad, it's not your fault. Hehe

9. His willingness to help everybody. And his willingness to help in the house. He did more around the house than almost anybody. He was definitely a hubby that gave the mom a break from chores when he was home. When they say a girl looks for someone like her daddy when she gets ready to get married, I'd have to say that it's got some truth to it. My baby is just like my daddy on this one!!!! Love me some boys like that!

10. Camping trips....particularly vivid are the ones with the old youth group. Dad worked so hard to make sure everybody had fun.

11. Shortcuts. Nuff said.

12. The driving skills he passed down to his daughter....again....nuff said.

13. And finally....his love. Always there, always freely given, no strings attached.

I love you, daddy! Happy Birthday!