Father's day

When I was a kid, my dad was not really super involved.  He is loving & supportive and came to all major things in my life - but he worked full time and appreciated his own TV and separate room after dinner and on weekends.  We weren't a family that went on vacations and he worked most holidays.  I can't say that we were ever that close, especially when I became a headstrong teenager.  Then after my mom died, he was left to raise my 14 year old sister without any prior knowledge of how to be a great parent.

But great parent he became.  His entire theory of raising a teenager became "do what you want".  Not a do what you want in a bad sort of way but the do what you want because you are smart and independent enough to make an intelligent decision (and because in general we were going to do it anyway).  Every major decision in my life has been passed by my father and the response has been "Do what you want" but he has always followed up the statement with "do you need anything?".  Even when my husband asked him if he could propose -- well the response was the same.

To this day he has never pressured me for a grandchild, asked me when it is going to happen or even if it going to happen ever in the future.  He only asks me if I am happy and if there is anything I need.  So, today I am thankful for my wonderful dad and for the fact that he understands me better than I ever thought he would.

So thanks dad, I am happy.  And yes dad - I will do what I want.   And do I need anything?  Well yes.  I need to give you a grandchild so you can be the perfect grandfather now that you have figured out how to be the perfect dad.