Time with Dad

My Dad has always been one of my heroes.  He is very tall, funny, thoughtful, patient, giving, and hard working.  Growing up, he was a typical work-a-holic, trying to make life better for the ones at home that he loved.  In his field, working at home was simply not an option.  I always loved it when Dad would come home, because I loved his sense of humor, his music, his Pepsi, potato chips, daddy noodles (an affectionate name for Ramen), his movies (Big Trouble in Little China was my favorite), and he'd always play either baseball, football, golf, Frisbee, or any other sport we were interested in at the time.  Things just seemed to slow down when Dad was home, he's always been an easy person to be around.

With tax season, he had to come back to CO to get his filing done.  My dad has been in Denver now for three weeks.  I have been so blessed to be able to spend my mornings with him on the way to work.  He shows up at exactly 7 am every morning.  Just as we are about to get to

Jackson Street

, he asks "Want to get breakfast?"  and I say, "If you do!" and he says, "I could always eat."  We grab New Mexican breakfast at Little Anitas and he drops me off at the office and lets me know if I need a ride home, just to call him.  He knows I won't because I hate to inconvenience him- so he calls me and says, "Want me to come get you?"  I hope he is loving this as much as I am, though he really does have the bad end of the deal.

This board owns.

I love showing him my expanding musical taste.  The cool places around Denver that I think he'd find impressive.  I cooked him a killer steak on a Grill he gifted us, and I was so excited when he ate the Asparagus with it- since he has never liked that particular vegetable.  We've been to Biker Jim's Gourmet Dogs on Larimer (twice)...YUM and we went to My Brother's Bar on Platte after a round of Frisbee Golf.  After MBB he took me to get a new long board, and even bought himself one that is far better than mine and is camping at my house for now...I'm not complaining- this thing is like the Cadillac of long boards.

If he's not working on his computer during the day, he and his K9-Heterosexual-Lifemate-For-Life are out at a new exciting Frisbee golf course.  Now, if you haven't met my dad's dog, you are missing a really interesting relationship.  Gizmeaux (he's Cajun) is one of the most intelligent animals I have ever encountered.  He is a Queensland Blue Healer, and he knows commands such as "right" "left" "further" "Frisbee" "golf" "truck", etc...You get the point.  They were out playing Frisbee golf when one of my fellow Denver citizens (stoned of course) assaulted my dad with a Frisbee.  This is no "catch" Frisbee.  They fly from 60-80MPH and weigh about 8 oz a piece.  These things are deadly...imagine if it had hit him in the neck!  This particular impact was caused by a "driver".



Dad's caption "How cool is this?"



The Frisbee went straight through his ear, and punctured his head behind the ear.  He had 8 cartilage stitches, seven behind the ear, and 3 in his head.  Did I mention that this happened on Easter? "Hi Liz, it's your Dad, I'm in the emergency room, but I'll be alright.  I don't think I'm going to celebrate holidays anymore, since I often end up in the emergency room."  Two years ago, he spent 8 days in the ER over Thanksgiving due to a run-in with a Copperhead snake.

Well, he's about to have work coming up, but I needed to write about this while he is still here to have it in the archives.  HE (another impressive Dad to daughters, and the love of my life) and I talk about the importance of Dads.  I never really understood the weight of that point until just recently.  Having my Dad around gives me so much peace.  He believes in me.  Thinks I'm beautiful.  Is proud of me.  Thinks I'm important enough to pick up and breakfast with every morning that he is here.  I will never forget these three weeks.  Three of the most important weeks of my life simply for the time we have spent together, the laughter, and the inner peace I have found in knowing that no matter how old I get...my Dad loves me.

I'm a very lucky girl.