Father's Day 2017. 6/15/2017

I think back to October 5, 2013 all the time. The day of Dad's seizure. And then I think back to that cold hospital room where we heard the news. Cancer. I feared Thanksgiving and Christmas where Dad wasn't there, I feared birthdays and special moments without him, and I feared a Father's Day without celebrating the best Dad in the world. 

And it's amazing, because when I think back on this and then pull out my devotional...I find God speaking to my heart so clearly: 

"Apart from Me you can do nothing. On days when the tasks before you seem overwhelming, remember this: I am with you, ready to help. Take a moment to rest in My loving Presence. Whisper: Surely the Lord is in this place."

Well, in honor of my amazing Dad, here's my Father's Day letter:

Dad,

You probably don't remember this, as those days after your seizure were a whirlwind, but there was a conversation, a moment that to this day gives me chills. It was the moment I knew I had the most selfless Dad in the entire world. It was the moment that I realized I was so blessed that God chose you for me. 

We received the diagnosis: Brain Cancer. And as the doctor shared with us what was going on in your brain, and as my brain went in 100 different directions, your response was one that was calm, one that I will never forget. Instead of asking the doctor "what's next?", or "why me?", you responded with a question: "Can I give this to my girls?" My heart stopped. 

So to the most selfless man in the world, let me share with you why you're the most amazing Dad a girl could ever ask for. 

You've managed to take each day with a house filled with women in stride. You witnessed your girls fail a bit when it came to doing some things that you do so very well...like when I mowed grass and put the blade ALL the way down and (as you said) "mowed dirt". Or that time Meghan and Mom thought they would be super helpful and mow while you were at work, only to realize they put the wrong type of fuel in the lawnmower. 

Or maybe that time you came into the garage to find that Genna "forgot" to put the garage door up and backed right into it. Or it could be the time that Mom locked herself out of her car, and the answering machine happened to record y'alls entire message...I think we still get a kick out of that conversation. 

There's a common theme here, one in which one of your girls manage to "mess things up a bit", and you responded with your same patience and determination that you handle everything in life. 

I can count on one hand the times you've yelled at me, and looking back, I think you could have yelled a bit more (seriously, I was kinda a terrible child). 

You've always been the Dad that went to every softball game (heck you were usually the coach), and at the end of the game, regardless if we won or lost, we talked about what we could have done better. You were always focused on us improving and doing our absolute best. 

We are so lucky that God chose YOU to be our Dad. To walk with us through the good, and bad times, to teach us that patience and determination can really fix most situations, and throughout it all doing your absolute best is big part of life. 

So this Father's Day, know how much we appreciate YOU and all the things that you continue to do for us girls (okay, and now Luke & Reid). Here's to many more Father's Days and everyday with YOU!

Much Love, (Your favorite daughter)

Whitney