A 365 day challenge to focus on being thankful.

Ok, I made it to day 5. Woohoo! I know it seems silly to celebrate such a tiny milestone but we have to celebrate the little victories along with the big. Some baby steps that will hopefully lead to leaps and bounds.

Yesterday I wrote about Mom. Today I think it is only fitting to follow it up with a thankful post about Dad. I’m so thankful I had two wonderful parents who loved me and always wanted the best for me. I know that is not always the case for everyone. Dad is no longer with us but there was never a dull moment when he was around.

There are so many anecdotes and stories about Dad, it’s hard to narrow it down. I will say that he provided for us and worked insanely hard to make sure we had everything we ever needed as well as some things we didn’t necessarily need. He loved to travel and wanted to make sure we had experiences that would last a lifetime. We had some really entertaining and adventurous family trips, all in our Econoline high top van. Dad loved loading up and jumping in that van for an outing. I can still see him sitting up in the drivers seat, whistling along, as we headed down the highway. We listened to the Kingston Trio A LOT. It was one of his favorite bands. I still listen to the Kingston Trio because of Dad. Listening to his music also helps me remember some of the very vivid memories I have of my Dad.

When I was a kid Dad loved playing in the ocean with us. I don’t know how many hours he spent holding onto me while I floated on rafts in the ocean. I was a little nervous about the fish and, in full disclosure, the seaweed. I would lose my mind when the seaweed brushed across my legs and would go running for the raft. I spent hours on those blue and red rafts (if you are a 70’s/80’s baby you know the ones I’m talking about). Dad held onto that raft and never made me feel silly for being a little afraid of the ocean critters and things drifting in the water. My brothers and I always had the best time in the ocean with Dad. He transferred his love of the ocean to me and to my kids as well. It is my happy place and I always feel a little closer to Dad on the beach.

On a side note, I was looking for a picture of the blue and red rafts to add to this post. I saw one of the rafts marked “vintage” and now I feel old. It was also for sale for $59.99. What in the world!? I don’t even know how someone owns a raft from that long ago that survived this long. We went through those rafts like fish went through the water and they were only about $5 each. The new $59.99 price…must be a victim of “inflation”.

Even though Dad has gone on to Heaven, his memory is still very much alive here on Earth. When we get together as a family, there is always some fun story of Dad that finds its way into the conversation. The Dad stories are the best and always get us laughing. I think about him every day and miss him terribly, but more than that, I am so thankful that he was my Dad!