Happy Birthday Dad

*Last year's dairy breakfast

I guess you could say that I started life as a daddy's girl.

Unfortunately I have very few memories of my parents being married. I remember a camping trip one time where everyone was riding in a motor home (whose motor home I have no idea) but I rode in the car instead because I wouldn't be separated from my dad. I remember having Family Home Evening once and we were looking for a little lost sheep. I remember the day we found out about the divorce. I knew it was coming. I didn't know anyone who was divorced but somehow I knew it was coming.

I remember crying...A LOT. I remember my dad taking us to the park after they dropped the bomb and I remember knowing that my family would never be the same. It is hard to be a daddy's girl at a distance, but I started life as daddy's princess and I guess I never stopped seeing myself that way.

Of course there were the weekend visits, usually filled with Flaky Flix, orange sticks, Taffy cookies, white bread (shh...don't tell Linda) and some Uncle Buck or Top Secret.I loved going to hang out with my step siblings but I liked it better when I could just go somewhere with my dad. I especially loved when he worked in Hollywood and he would drag me along to see his different projects. I thought he was famous.

My dad is a football fanatic so we would go watch the local high school games. Back then I did not care about the games but it was fun to hang out with my dad and watch him get riled up...GO TILLERS!

Once we even drove up to Oakland to watch the Tillers play basketball in the state championship. Did I go to school there? No, but my dad was so excited that I thought I'd scored tickets to the Oscars so I went along for the ride. That was an awesome trip. We were rolling around in an old school super van with a busted horn. We would be cruising along and the horn would just start blaring. It was hilarious, especially at 2AM when we finally got to our hotel and the horn woke up everyone in Embassy Suites.

I loved going on road trips with my dad. Hanging out on the weekends is one thing but stuck in a car for hours is the way to go. Once 6 of us even rode up to Utah in the extended cab of my dad's truck, back when extended cabs were about a foot wide. It was SO not comfortable but Road trips allow for lots of chit chat and laughter so it was worth it.

My dad also road tripped with me to college. Him and my sister, Valerie drove me up to Cedar City, Utah and helped me move in. Then they would wait outside each class for me and tell me some fun new idea they had or some cool thing they found on campus. It was highly embarrassing so I asked them to please wait at my dorms instead. So, they obliged...and after my next class they were sitting in front of the dorms drinking out of the gutter because they were so excited about how clean the streets were.

Speaking of college, my dad is the number one USC fan. He is an alum so we have all borrowed his USC status and claimed bragging rights for USC football. A few years ago he came out here and took Seth and my brothers to Southbend to watch USC beat Notre Dame. He was like a kid in a candy store the whole weekend.

Then again...my dad is usually pretty excited. Him and my sister Valerie are both over the top excited all the time. They laugh the loudest and love attention. Remember they were the ones drinking from the gutter. I love it! They are both fantastic house guests to have because they over-praise everything I cook and both of them appreciate my nicely mopped floors. Last time my dad came out here I even put him to work all weekend repairing a busted wall in my house and next time I think we will have him build a bathroom...just kidding, I think.

Did I mention that my dad is a brilliant architect? He has worked on some big, fancy projects in his day and he is so talented. He even drew up blueprints for my wedding reception and it was spectacular. My dream is to one day have the means to buy a lot and build a house designed by my dad.

I love my dad. He is not super affectionate but I am sending him a virtual one-armed side hug anyhow. Happy Birthday Dad!