My Papa

It was my Dad's birthday yesterday, and he was my entry in my gratitude journal - and I decided he more than deserved a public display of appreciation and love. So although this entry won't share any cool recipes or art projects (those will come soon - I have a whole list to post about), hopefully this one will make you think about how much you love YOUR Papa, or Mama, or Grandma, or whomever! Make sure they know it.

My Dad

I don't even know where to start with how awesome my Dad is. Since it just passed, I guess I'll start with his birthday. Yet again I gave him no gift because he's one of those people who is literally impossible to buy for. His response for my queries about what he wants for his birthday/ Christmas/ Father's Day: "Nothing." Never in my life has he asked for any single thing. And always seems happy with his gift of running magazines, socks and Canadian Tire gift cards. It's one of those things that shows me how easy going, grateful and content my father is. Although I anticipate many more years of my sister and I brainstorming for an awesome gift for my Dad that will rarely go beyond baking him rhubarb pie, getting him something running related, or Quality Street chocolates for Christmas, I also anticipate many more years of my Dad making us feel like it was the perfect gift. A trait to be admired to say the least.

It's one of his many traits that I admire. Not the least of which is his incredible work ethic that I hope that I live up to even a little bit. He works shift work, 12 hour shifts for 3 days and then 3 nights, and then on his days off fixes the yard, builds a deck for his daughter's latest whim, mows lawns, repairs house stuff, shovels his and his neighbours' driveways and sidewalks ... the man gets it done! 

Or he goes on a family trip to Newfoundland and cuts a forest's
worth of wood for our Grandparents for the winter

Another thing I hope I have inherited from my Dad is his lifelong love of running and just plain old moving. This is the guy who will be the "90 year old completes marathon" headline. A lifelong runner, my Dad has organized the local running club and marathon so much that the running community in my town was a huge part of my youth. Driving around in the big cube van, placing or picking up pylons for whatever race happened to be going on that weekend is one of my great memories (Anyone who wonders where my dedication to volunteering comes from - he and my mom showed me that it's just a normal part of life, and it stuck). And he doesn't just organize. He's a great runner and put people half his age to shame (like me for sure! I always end up bailing halfway through our runs when I am home!). An avid runner and, recently, cyclist - my Dad completed a Half Ironman (he did the full Ironman when I was 5, kudos to my mama for letting him train while she covered with the work it takes to raise a 4 year old and a 2 year old) this past summer. Are you kidding me?! This man rocks! He is an inspiration and has my sister and I running too - he got me through my first half marathon a couple years ago, I definitely couldn't have (and wouldn't have thought to) gotten through it without him. He coached my track team at school, taught me how to run hills and how to keep running once you get to the top, gets me out on the snowiest days to run, and has infected me with the idea that running in the rainiest, muddiest, snowiest, coldest conditions is what it really means to be a runner. 

Dad & I at a soccer game in Mexico

 And it's not just running - a good Irishman loves his soccer and my Dad is no exception. He taught me how to pass and shoot and run and defend and how to love the game. He's always on the sidelines for support, even when it's for the team I'm coaching and I'm not even playing! So much of my life is shaped by what my Dad has shown me how to do.

But what my Dad (and my wonderful Mother) has really shown me how to do, is how to be a good person. My Dad is generous, hard working, caring, funny, and easy going. He always volunteers to help the community, always supports my sister, Mother and I in whatever crazy scheme we have thought up, and reminds me that no matter what happens, the most main thing is "not to panic."

So, to my Dad : Thank you, I love you, and happy birthday. 

My Beautiful Family <3