Outnumbered: Happy Belated Father's Day!

In this season of life, I'm behind on almost everything. I'm usually the last one to call my dad on Father's Day or his birthday. It doesn't mean that I love him less than my siblings, it just means that I like to procrastinate. This year, I swore I would not be the last one to call to wish him a Happy Father's Day and to say "I Love you!" So, I tried calling him at 1 pm, but we were at the beach in Michigan and apparently had terrible reception, so the call didn't go through. At 9 pm, we were on our way home from the beach, I gave my dad a call and once again was the last one to talk to him.

My dad becoming a father for the first time when my brother Travis was born in 1973.

This year at church our pastor was talking about how we need courageous fathers. Fathers who are willing to leave behind the ways that they were raised and to do it differently for their own families. For many fathers of previous generations, physical and verbal affection was not expressed easily or often for their children. This was not the case for me with my dad. My dad regularly told me how proud he was of me, how much he loves me and was physically affectionate. He use to call me "Miss Flippy" as a young girl because I was always twirling around in my dresses. I always, always felt loved. Even now, he greets me with hugs and kisses. I'm so thankful for his willingness to show affection to me and for how it built me up as a child and young adult.

Becoming a father for the second time when Dan was born in 1975.

Our pastor also talked about how courageous fathers will set boundaries & discipline, set a good example in their behavior for their children and seek after God. As our pastor was going through the list, I realized how fortunate I was to have a dad who did all of those things. I'm not going to say that my dad is perfect, but if you had to divide it up into a "got it right" and "got it wrong" chart....he'd have almost everything (especially the important stuff) in the "got it right" column.

Me and my dad circa 1979.

Specifically, I think about how my dad was so committed to telling the truth. Once in high school, I wanted to skip out of school and head out to a long lunch with my friends. "Everyone" was going and just having their parents write up excuses that weren't true in order to be excused from school (They have a doctor's appointment, etc.). My dad refused to do that saying that he would not lie. Instead, he wrote a note stating that I wanted to go to lunch with my friends and did not have a reason for this to be excused. I turned the note in at the office and they allowed me to leave. I'm pretty sure that my dad was flabbergasted that they allowed me to leave with that note, but I still remember to this day how he wouldn't lie even about little things that seemingly didn't matter. You could completely trust his word.

My dad becoming a father for the 4th time when Natalie was born in 1987.

I also think about how hard my dad worked and still works. He was done with medical school and residency by the time I was born. As a young child, I remember proudly telling people that my dad was an ophthalmologist (I refused to just say eye doctor). I remember him making house calls to take care of his elderly patients who couldn't easily get out. I remember him getting calls to the emergency room on weekends, especially in the summer when people insisted on putting dangerous fireworks off around my birthday (July 3rd) and "shooting their eyes" out. I remember him often having to go back out at night when we were getting into bed so that he could take care of someone at the hospital. I never once remember hearing him complain about it. He joyfully took care of others. Now that we're all grown up and out of the house, he and my mom have started going to Mexico and running eye clinics for Indians there. My dad became a doctor to help people keep their vision and he has spent his life doing just that. I'm so proud of him for that and so thankful for the example that he showed me each and every day about treating all people with dignity and respect.

I remember this so clearly, I thought it was crazy that he was shaving off his beard.

I'm also thankful for the priority that my dad made for us to have regular family vacations where we all got to get away,be with each other and just relax. His favorite place is the beach and I'll always think of him when I'm at any beach. First, there is no one I know who can sit in the sun longer. I'd challenge him to a sit-off on the beach, but I don't stand a chance. The man LOVES the beach.

The Beach 2012

Patty-cake with James in 2007

Secondly, we've had so many great memories there. As a child, I remember going to Myrtle Beach and Hilton Head island. He would take us out in the ocean on rafts and play paddle ball with us on the beach. As an adult, he has gone to the beach with my family several times and now I get to see him play with my boys in the surf, teach them bocce ball and treat them to frozen lemonades when the cart comes past. My heart is full of great memories from the beach that I treasure.

Christmas 2007 in Orlando with Andrew

There are a million other random things that I love because my dad passed it along to me. For example, Oldies music. I can probably beat almost any other 30-something year old at a trivia game of 50s and 60s music (with the exception of my brother Dan) due to listening to my dad's tapes as we drove around in his Subaru. I also love comic book and superhero movies especially old stuff like the original Batman with Adam West. I like reading mystery and crime books and take them off my dad's hands when he is done reading them. I can drive stick shift because he taught me how to in order to get my driver's license. I can throw and catch a baseball because he spent a summer when I was in third grade playing with me so I could try out for softball (I chickened out on trying out, but I can throw and catch because of him).

Walking with James the night before Aaron was born.

Introducing the twins to Aaron--2008

I could go on and on. You get the point. My dad is the best. I love you Dad! Thanks for being the kind of courageous father that I needed. Happy Father's Day!!!