Things My Father Has Taught Me

** I have some great pictures of my dad and my hubby... and but they are not cooperating with my blog right now... I will hope to add some pictures soon, but for today, I just have words without pictures at the moment.

Things my Daddy has taught me:

• How to drive a car
• How to drive a boat
• How to plan ahead
• How to be on time
• How to dress nicely for different events -- dressing nicely brings dignity to the occasion
• How to calculate the miles per hour a car travels cross country
• How to throw a softball (or any ball)
• How to host a dinner party
• How to play tennis
• How to water ski
• How to snow ski
• How to speak in public -- slowly, clearly, and loudly
• How to study for a test -- if you do it well, studying is the hardest part and taking the test is the easy part
  
• How to rehearse for a play or speaking event
• How to do my best
• How to navigate an airport
• How to name the states between Michigan and Colorado and Michigan and Florida
• How to prepare for the future
• How to save and invest
• How to dance
• How to take a gentleman's arm when offered
  
• How to stay calm and make a plan
• How to weigh pros and cons in a big decision
• How to care for a pool
• How to hunt for worms
• How to fish
• How to sail
• How to swim
• How to ride a bike
• How to get the mail
• How to remember what someone says in great detail and recount their words verbatim
• How to shake hands
• Respect for the elderly
• Kindness
• Joy
• Faith
• Strength of Character
• How to take care of ill children
• What to do to treat a soft tissue injury... and most other injuries and illnesses requiring at-home care
  
• How to play croquet
• How to play shuffleboard
• How to rake leaves and trimmings
• Pride in our ancestry
• Grit
• How to push a wheelbarrow
• That everything has a place and there is a place for everything
  
• How to listen to what someone has to say, consider what they've said, and then make up my own mind
  

So many of these lessons, I have not learned well despite his being such a wonderful teacher.  But I am so grateful for everything he has taught me and I am so grateful that he is still here to continue to teach me.

Happy Father's Day, Dad!

I miss you.

...

And Happy Father's Day to my own wonderful Husband.  I am so grateful for each and every child we are raising together and I am so thankful for a man who loves our children so much.  You are truly our children's hero, and I would not have it another way.