Becoming A Daughter: Gaining A Dad

I will never forget the first time I met my father in law.  He went to shake my hand and tripped in the flower bed.  I loved him instantly.  When I married my husband I became his daughter and he became my dad.  We weren't in laws.  We were a family.

When I decided to become Catholic he was the one I wanted to walk with me on the journey.  Even in the worst of circumstances he always says we have our faith.  God is the center of his life and I strive to meet him in my own christian walk.  I can't even put into words how I felt when he stood next to me on my confirmation day.

He has seen me at my best.  He has seen me at my worst.  At times, it hasn't been pretty.  But, he doesn't care.  He always tells me that I look beautiful.

We love to hang out.  Whether it is doing little projects that I have conjured up, going to the gym, going shopping for upcoming birthdays, going out for a bite, or just having coffee.  I cherish those moments with him.

There are also those moments that we just have fun.  Like trips up north snowmobiling with my husband and I and our kids.  Then the covert ops-- like test driving a camaro!  It doesn't matter what we do.  We have a good time!  He is pretty much up for anything!  

His support is never lacking.  College, a business, my writing, an emergency trip to see my family just because I miss them....he is right there to encourage me.  Even if the idea is silly, inconvient  or impossible.  If it is what I want to do he stands by me.  If I fail, he is there to scrape me off the pavement.  And believe me, I have come up with some doozy's! 

And if there is a problem.  He is the one I call.  The car breaks down,  I call him.  If I have gotten into an accident, I call him.  If the power goes out, I call him.  He never says he is tired.  He never says he is busy.  Although he is sometimes.  Or I am sure he would rather stay home and watch football.  But, no matter what, he always comes over and saves the day!

I love to sit and talk with him.  We talk about everything.  I love to hear stories about his family.  I love to hear about when he was growing up.  And I know that there is nothing I can tell him that would make him love me any less.  Sometimes I think he knows me better than I know myself.  But he loves his family unconditionally.  We all come first. 

If you were to talk to anyone in our family, they would tell you that he loves them more than anyone else.  He and my mother in law always make everyone feel like they are the most important.  I am proud to be his daughter and introduce him as my Dad.