Happy Father's Day

Dad with some of his kids and grandkids

       I could not have been blessed with a better father and I want to use this special day to recognize what an amazing man he is.  He embodies so many of the characteristics that I believe are important in being a father.  While I don't have time to write about all of them (nor do you have time to read about all of them) I do want to highlight some of his qualities that particularly stick out to me.
       First of all, my dad is adventurous and fun-loving.  Some of my earliest memories with my dad are of times boulder climbing in Connecticut, hiking, camping, and various family trips.  One of the biggest adventures we went on was moving to South Africa when me and Devon were 10 and Kevin and Lindsey were 12. What an amazing experience that was.  He is also an avid long distance runner who enjoys traveling to different destinations to race and has recently gotten into triathlons.
My dad loves to spend quality time with those that are closest to him.  Some of my fondest memories with him are having "special days" when I was little where it was just me and him and going on walks with him through the neighborhood when I was older. 
      He is a man who has always been dedicated to his family.  No matter what, his family always comes first.  Despite long hours as a naval officer, he was never they type of dad that came home from work and sat in front of the tv, he was always ready and willing to play with us, wrestle with us, or take us out for ice cream when we were little.  As we got older, we could always count on him to be in the stands at our various sporting events (and there were lots) and even today he tries to come to as many of my races as possible and when he's not there I always get the call the night before to say good luck and after the race to see how it went.
      Lastly, he is probably the wisest and most godly man I know.  When I lived at home, I always knew where to find my dad in the morning (if I was up early enough), studying the Bible at his desk.  He not only studies it, but puts it into practice in his life.  He was an amazing example to my brother of how a man should treat a wife and to me and my sisters of how we should expect to be treated (I guess that's how we all ended up with such great spouses).  I love coming to him for advice because he is one of those people who always knows the right answer.  It's not necessarily always what I want to hear, but deep down I know he is right.
      Happy Father's Day to all you dads out there, enjoy your special day! A few other great dads I know:

Devon's husband Jon

Lindsey's husband Matt