hope.

On my way to work the other day I passed a dad and his five little girls on bicycles, currently stopped at a stop light. All decked out in helmets I was reminded of my dad, and I knew instantly how lucky those little girls were.

Memories started flooding in as I thought about growing up and times like that with my dad. I realized that not all kids are so lucky and I immediately felt hope that if/when I have kids one day that they can have a dad like mine:
-One who will ride bikes with them all down the town's parkway.

-Sleep out under the stars in the summer knowing how much his kids love it and being there for protection even though it wasn't comfortable for him and probably wasn't the best nights sleep.

-attend every school or sporting event their in. Dad never missed even the reflections assemblies (and there were lots of those seeing as how us Olsen kids and our mom kicked butt at reflections every year!)

-Pull them on sleds behind the truck on a dirt road in the winter.

-Teach them how to work-helping out around the house, garden, farm etc... one time the cows got out in our neighboring property in Carbonville and all us kids had to go help round them back in.

-Help out others. Whether it's shoveling snow for neighbors for hours, helping grandpa down on the farm(hauling hay despite hayfever), helping out at the church, or even letting "the homeless" use his home phone, he's always helping others out.

-Teaching to ride horses and the importance of saddling up again after getting bucked off (true story with me right here!)

-Letting his kids bang up and abuse a tree in his front yard so they could have a "tree house" with the neighbors.

-Help out with endless hours of math homework. Even if kids lost all patience.

-Teach them how to drive. Even if an attempt to teach a particular daughter manuel transmission ends with the farm truck in the ditch....
Granted there were many things that my dad had a hand in growing up-these are just some of my favorite memories that came to mind. Don't get me wrong my mom is equally as great but the dad and girls sparked it : )
thanks for everything daddio