Fathers

I am normally a day late & a dollar short.....so I didn't want to break tradition. Speaking of tradition, I would like to share a little about the Dads I know & love.

First, my own Dad. I have especially been thinking about stories from my childhood lately & sharing them with my girls. My Dad loves The Fiddler on the Roof - hence the "tradition." I know all those out there who are familiar with it are singing that song in their head right now and those who are not - it is sad to be you. (j/k) You should see him sing and dance to "If I Were a Rich Man." Jennie vaguely mentioned the split pea soup "incident." I will expound. I know that my Dad feels really bad about this, but seriously - it is a great story!! One Saturday afternoon, Jennie & I were eating lunch, well - supposed to be. My Dad had made us split pea soup (aaaccckkkk) and he expected us to eat it too! (the nerve, right?) Anyway, we were told, after we had already refused to eat it, that we could not watch any more cartoons that day until we finished. This is when Saturday was actually a day of cartoons. The best day EVER! Jennie eventually gave in, which was truly out of character for her stubborn self and tried to coax me to follow suit so we could watch cartoons together. I still refused, which was against my normal character - I normally didn't like to rock the boat. I have been referred to as the brown noser of the family. But I just couldn't bring myself to eat it. After a long time of sitting in the kitchen alone, our awesome dog, Ginger, came in to keep me company. Can you say "opportunity?" You guessed it, she helped me finish my lunch. I quickly went in to join them in the living room. I am not sure how long it was, but a little while later, Jennie asked the one thing I didn't want to hear: "What is that stuff on Ginger's nose?" Upon further examination of her snout, the gig was up. I was sent to my room & that was it. Jennie felt bad for giving me up, but she didn't know about my sneakiness. My Dad later felt bad too - when I was older & married. He called me out of the blue to apologize. The only thing he did wrong was make the soup, really. I was the dishonest one who was driven to do badness by the cartoons! I forgot to make sure all the evidence was erased on my cohort, but it was for the best. I learned that I need to be honest and grateful for what I have (there are starving children in Africa after all). So Dad, the punishment was earned. Thank you! There are many more memories about my Dad and as I continue to blog, they will come out. But he is a wonderful Father. I was the tomboy who loved following him around whenever he was home & do the outdoor stuff. He taught me how to catch a ball (with my eyes open), how to drive..started me on a stick-shift...oooh, that's a good story I should share sometime..., how to change the oil & filter in my car, and other stuff. But more importantly, he taught me unconditional love, along with my Mom, and how a person can change with the Lord's help. I love you Dad!

I would also like to say a little about my Father-in-Law...or simply, Dad. I have actually known him for over half of my life - as long as I have known my husband. He is a quiet, soft-spoken man. He has seen me through good and bad times throughout my life - and still loves me as a daughter. (You see, he had 4 sons. I have heard stories about those guys too!) I truly feel like I am his daughter. It is kinda hard to explain it really... He also has a funny story that has become a family tradition in our little band of Fairall's. When Chris & I got married, Dad sang us a song at our reception. Alot went into the intro. for the song...a story about how sometime Chris would come home to an upset wife, wouldn't know what he did and then told him what to do to fix it. He broke into song! "I know you want to leave me, but I refuse to let you go. If I have to beg and plead for your sympathy - I don't mind 'cause you mean that much to me. Ain't to proud to beg you sweet darling...." Seriously, he sang the entire song by the Temptations - dancing included! We were laughing so hard that the tears were flowing. This is a common song in our home & the girls even know it. If you ever want to see our wedding video - I can show you the whole performance!

So there is a little extra special glimpse into the Dads I know and love dearly. Happy Father's Day!