{dearest dad}

Dearest Dad,

I wonder if you know how much you shaped my life?

Many girls 

grow up to 

{consciously or unconsciously}

look for a soulmate 

resembling their father.

In my own life I 

searched for a man with amazing qualities 

modeled after you.

Your example of being 

a man of God,

follower of Jesus,

led me to look for another

believer in Christ.

Your patience and unending devotion

to my beautiful Mother

led me to look for a man

of patience and deep love and devotion 

to marry.

{and as you well know, any husband of mine would have to have a LOT of patience!}

I would not have chosen such a good man

without your strong example.

Many girls 

grow up with fathers who are not

present in their lives.

You always were there.

You were there to make sure we were safe...

...to cheerfully wake us up

 at the crack of dawn

 on camping trips by peeking in our tents, singing "Rise and Shine"...

...to walk your daughters down the aisle...

...to preach your beautiful sermons at all the important events...

...to take us on amazing adventures on mountain tops,

in your indestructible blue windsuit,

singing Rocky Mountain High, 

making sure we all made it to the top...

Many girls

don't get to have a lot of quality time with their dads.

Although you worked a lot of hours

at multiple jobs

 to make ends meet

and do what God had called you to do,

you also made sure 

we had time with you.

You made us breakfast every morning before school

took us cross-country skiing, hiking, 

and on many, many journeys

involving canoes!

I can always picture you in the green Old Town,

paddling contentedly,

singing Sunshine on my Shoulders

{or anything John Denver.}

Or in the BWCA,

on "our island"

snoozing in the afternoon sun 

on the rocks...

Dad, 

you raised four strong, healthy kids...

one of them being quite a tempermental handful!

{*cough, cough*}

Just know that this "tempermental handful"

is grateful for all you have done for me,
the time you have spent,

and all the love

you continue to give
to us and now to
your grandchildren.

I am blessed to have a Dad like you

and our Baby Boy will be blessed to have

you as a Grandpa.

I love you!

your daughter,

Greta Robyn

  *   *   *

 Happy Father's Day, blogger friends!

g