Father's Day comes every single year, and yet I'm always caught off guard with my emotions about the day. Some may know, some may not know what I am about to chat about. When I was 13, I was told the truth about my "birth dad." That is giving him some credit, just to be called that. Apparently, he wasn't man enough to have a daughter, and raise me like he should've... and therefore, walked away. Thankfully. He has now walked out of his other three beautiful daughter's lives. This isn't about him, however, and he deserves not one more word.
It is about the man that I have always and will ALWAYS, call "Dad." I've been told, many times, that my Dad, Richard, fell in love with me way before falling in love with my mom. I came into his life as a baby, and he never left. HE NEVER LEFT. Never left the little girl that he didn't have to raise, didn't have to clothe and feed, teach me to ride a four-wheeler, let play in his garage... even if I did ruin my brand new Easter dress. He never left when my teenage attitude got the best of me. Never once threw in my face that he wasn't my "real" dad, because he was indeed my REAL dad. He loved me first. He might not have held me first, but he held me when it mattered. He stepped up when a coward stepped down. He gave me his last name, protected me when I was scared, cheered for me at softball games. He was right there beside me as I married the man of my dreams, calmed my nerves as I walked down the isle (even if he did threaten to trip me).
Throughout the years, we have had our differences. I have been in the wrong more times than I can count. I have to blame him for my stubbornness, anyone who knows him would agree. As I have gotten older, matured if you will, I have realized that I am more like him than I ever would admit before. I am impatient and like things my way, I would prefer no one touch my oreos, and I eat cottage cheese with every meal. Okay, maybe a few other things... I am driven like he is, I push to accomplish things, my schedule is always packed but you call, I'll get you in. He taught me to shoot a gun, drive a car, curse like a sailor (I didn't say everything was good), respect my parents, and mostly to fight for what I want in life.
He showed me that love isn't about blood.
"Blood is thicker than water. Oh, but love is thicker than blood." -Garth Brooks
I love you, dad. Thanks for always being there when I've needed you the most. I couldn't have hand picked a better dad for myself. I was lucky to call you dad, but my boys are even luckier to call you "Papaw."
( I Will Always Be YOUR Little Girl.)
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