Happy Birthday, Dad

I would like to take a moment to honor my dad, who is celebrating his birthday today.

I was raised as the only girl right in the middle of two older and two younger brothers. I never felt singled out by my parents. In fact, to my dad, I was just one of the guys, or at least I was made to feel that way.

This may seem a strange thing for a daughter to honor her dad for, since most girls want to be their father's little princess. But I was his princess in a different sort of way. I was his Indian princess and his warrior princess. However, I drew the line at dairy princess (an actual position held by teenage girls in the world of dairy farming).

So, Dad, I honor you for the priceless things you taught me that I have tried to pass on to my own children. I will attmept to list a few of them here.

You instilled in me a love for country living and for Native American history.

You took the time to share with me the serenity of a forest, the thrill of a waterfall, the beauty of wildlife all around me.

You taught me how to ride horses and love these beautiful animals.

You taught me how to walk through the woods without making noise, or to paddle a canoe without making splashes so I could catch glimpses of wildlife without startling them.

You taught me how to pick up a crayfish so I wouldn't get pinched, or a snake so it couldn't bite me so I wouldn't be afraid of them.

You taught me how to go out at night with my lantern to pick up night crawlers, bait my own hook, and sit for long periods of time on the bank of a creek, waiting to feel the nibble at the end of my line. Then how to patiently wait until the nibble turned to a tug before hooking the fish.

You taught me how to shoot a bow and arrow, how to plant a garden,  how to milk a cow, and how to drive a tractor, snowmobile and car.

And you taught me that it was important to allow a young man to come to the door when taking me out on a date...something that I balked at since I was used to being such a tomboy.

I guess in your eyes, I was always your princess, even when I was overflowing the bathtub, writing with wax markers on the barn walls, or grinding the gears on the Ford 5000.

You have been a race car driver, a tractor trailer driver, a dairy farmer, a horse farmer, a banjo player, a classic car collector, a firewood businessman, a devoted husband, a wonderful grandpa, and my favorite.......THE BEST DAD IN THE WHOLE ENTIRE WORLD!!!!!

Thank you, Dad, for teaching me all these things, and so much more! I love you!

Happy Birthday!