Friday, June 15, 2012

To: Dad

            For as long as I can remember, you’ve always said that you didn’t want or need any presents. Well, guess what? This year, I’m takin’ you up on it. For Father’s Day, I want to let you know how much I appreciate you and all that you’ve done for me over the years. I understand that you sacrificed a lot for us, and I want to thank you. So, this is what your baby-broke soon-to-be-a-father youngest son has come up with for Father’s Day: a tribute blog.

Thank you for all the times you said something you didn’t want to say
Thank you for all the times you held your peace
Thank you for that one time you spanked me, the one time I deserved it  got caught
Thank you for the times when I wouldn’t be quiet and go to sleep
Thank you for all the nights you stayed up with me
Thank you for the nights you let me sleep in your room when I got scared (remember Hurricane Hugo?)
Thank you for all the times you talked with me
Thank you for all the times you let me talk
Thank you for not jumping into the Ohio River
Thank you for teaching me what it means to be a man
Thank you for teaching me what it means to be a Christian
Thank you for teaching me to appreciate beauty
Thank you for showing me the stars on the state capitol
Thank you for taking me on walks through cemeteries
Thank you for buying me toy soldiers and model airplanes
Thank you for showing me slideshows and pictures from our family’s past
Thank you for teaching me to appreciate history
Thank you for helping me to memorize Psalm 23, 1 John 1:9, et. al. on the way to school
Thank you for all the times you picked me up from school
Thank you for letting me laugh at you the one time you almost didn’t pick me up from school
Thank you for teaching me how to eat junk food while watching T.G.I.F.
Thank you for taking me to the Grand Canyon, Tombstone, and the Petrified Forrest
Thank you for the alphabet game on road trips (“Q” in Dairy Queen!)
Thank you for reading fairy tales to me
Thank you for painting with me at the kitchen table
Thank you for taking me to the museum
Thank you for wrestling with me on the family room floor
Thank you for taking us camping on the beach
Thank you for watching hockey with me
Thank you for all the late night discussions
Thank you for teaching me about God
Thank you for all the times you gave up what you wanted so that I could have what I wanted
Thank you for all the days you worked to provide for us
Thank you for taking on my Junior year of high school
Thank you for imparting your wisdom to me
Thank you for sending me to France
Thank you for encouraging me to sing
Thank you for the name Pelton, and thank you for what you did with that name before I got it
Thank you for letting me be me
Thank you for being you

I love you Dad; happy Father’s Day!

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