HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY!

Today is my daddy's birthday. He is 62. I am happy to throw that number out there because there have been days that we weren't sure we would have this day to celebrate. He isn't the talker of the family, (my brother and I have that covered) but he is the man of his word that everyone should have in their life to grow up with. I am proud to say he is my dad. He is retired now, and spends his days at home with my mother (who he has been married to 175 years...). My kids often hang out over there and play with his homemade toys, swings, buckets of sawdust, and bottles of water. Chalk is also a favorite, along with bikes. There's nowhere else in the world they would rather go.
He is baby number 11 in a family of 12. (Whew...we just thought Brandy had a lot of kids!) He and his brother, James, are married to sisters. Those sisters are my mom, and my aunt Wanda. They all live in Wilmar. We spent a lot of time together when I was a kid, with all them, and at my grandparents. As I have said before, you can't beat my childhood. I was a mess, but they got me through it!
My dad worked at Burlington in the computer room ("upstairs") for over 30 years. He began "downstairs" doing regular mill work, and I think that says a lot about his character, and his drive to advance. He has no college degree, yet was a computer programmer/systems analyst. Starting at the entry level jobs and working his way up has made him know many people from all walks of life, and he still loves all his burlington family. In fact, they still meet up every few weeks for a meal together.
He is a veteran.
A blood donor (in the level that he has pins from the redcross for donating GALLONS.)

A former Sunday school teacher.
A ball coach.
A lover of music and fast cars.
A brother, a father, a grandpa, a husband, an uncle, and a friend.
A man of his word, that I can ALWAYS count on.
I LOVE YOU DADDY, more than words could ever say. You are TRULY the strongest man I know, and will ever know, and I am SO proud of you for enduring this fight with cancer again. YOUR STRENGTH AMAZES ME.

We are having a little get together at my parents house on Sunday to celebrate this special day. My kids are very excited about it, and I hope the weather is nice. But if it isn't, we will party in the rain, because we truly have something to celebrate.