My Papa Bear.
My perfect day includes my dad, my Papa Bear. It starts with a drive down to Tahoma market (we are in Tahoe of course) to pick up the paper. Then onto an early morning wakeboarding session and we're out in the boat before anyone else, looking at a glass lake. After a few runs we go back to the house for breakfast and coffee.. We grind, and then head back down into the boat for a day of driving around the lake, cruising Emerald Bay and stopping to take a dive in the freeeezing water. Before it gets to choppy we head back home and start happy hour ;-) My dad begins to BBQ and we all sit on the deck and listen to our Tahoe mixes that include Journey, Phil Collins, Genesis, The Eagles... all the classics. After dinner, we sit down for desert (well not my dad- for some reason he doesn't have a sweet tooth- I wish I inherited THAT from him!) and we start a game of liverpool rummy. By the time we finish, we are full and exhausted from a day in the sun. It's time for bed.. so we can wake up early and do it all over again.
This is my perfect day, and it begins and ends with my dad.
I admit it, I am a daddy's girl. I love the Big Bear hugs he gives me, I love sitting out in the backyard on a summer night with our Tiki torches and talking story, I love that he is still up for some adventure (we've gone shark diving & sting ray swimming together), I love that when I go home to Cali- he plans our dinners according to all my favorite foods that he cooks, and I love how much he loves his daughters.
It couldn't have been easy with so many women in the house (why we got him a male dog at one point) but my dad handled it with grace and ease (as far as he let me see ;).
And aside from all the memories created in the past 22 years; lake trips, camping, weekend volleyball tournaments, visits to Hawaii, concerts, days driving to Big Sur & Nepenthes- I've inherited so many wonderful qualities and values from his example. His integrity, dedication, work ethic, easy going attitude and happiness, his strength, generosity, and above all his love.
My gratitude for my dad continues to grow the older I become as I realize that he is not just an amazing dad, but an amazing man.
Happy Father's Day Papa Bear- Thank you for the countless things you've taught and given me. Wish I could be sitting in the backyard BBQ'ing with you :)
I love and miss you always. ♥
