12:09 am Happy Father's Day & Summer!
In honor of Father's Day 2009, I'm blogging about the top nine memories I have with my dad. It's hard to pick favorites, and I definitely have more than nine, but I'm going with the first nine that pop into my head.
1.) Penny-Dime Girl: Okay, technically I don't remember this because I was too young, but my mom wrote in my baby book that when my dad used to come home from work, I would carry each of his shoes to his closet as he took them off, and then I would put his loose change in his change jar - hence the name "Penny-Dime Girl." Apparently there was even a song that went, "She's my penny-dime girl, ooo weee ooo." I like this non-memory because it shows we've always had the best relationship, and it helped me get to the root of my love for shoes and money.
2.) Going to Space: This is one of the earliest memories I have of my dad. When we lived in Manchester, my dad would tuck me into bed and tell me elaborate stories about going to outerspace. I would have to close my eyes, and each night we would go to a different planet on a rocket ship. I don't remember the details, but I remember feeling like I was really there.
3.) The Goofy Daddy Dance: Waiting at the school bus stop isn't usually a stressful experience for elementary school children. But on the days when Dad would wait at the end of the driveway with us, there was usually some anxiety. As soon as that yellow bus turned the corner, Dad's legs would start moving and his arms would start waving and he would start singing. It was called the Goofy Daddy Dance, and Steph and I would laugh nervously and beg him to stop as the bus drew nearer and nearer. I wish I had a visual to show you because there's really nothing like it.
4.) The 2nd Grade Science Fair: I was the coolest kid in the 2nd grade thanks to the project my dad, er, I made. The point of the project was to show that two marbles of different weights fell at the same speed. Why? I have no idea, I don't remember. But I do remember the hours spent with my dad in the basement as we built the project. It's amazing what can be accomplished by a second grader with an engineer father.
5.) "Saving" Us: Once a year for a few years, while we were living on Needletree, our dad would announce that we were going on an adventure. It was usually like January, and me, Steph, and Kaitlyn would whine and complain, but Dad would insist we get bundled up and go. Then, we would trek out into the wilderness of the Glastonbury woods until we were freezing and somebody started crying. During this time, Dad took great joy in yelling "I'll save you!" when we were perfectly fine (except for the fact that we were outside in January) and tackling us into the snow. He was always there to protect us.
6.) Decorating the Basement: One time a few years ago, I was having a holiday party for my friends and everything was going wrong. I ended up having to work late the day of the party, and I was (naturally) freaking out because I hadn't had time to buy or put up the decorations. I came home from work, practically in tears, and found a Christmas miracle. Dad (with Steph's help) had gone out and bought the decorations and had transformed the basement into, well, a winter wonderland. I was so incredibly grateful, and I still remember how amazing the basement looked.
7.) Forget Everything They Say: My father rarely dispenses "guy" advice, so the one time he did, I took it to heart. Sitting on the front porch of our house last August, he told me this: Don't listen to what they say, pay attention to what they do. It made me realize that I don't need to be with a guy that makes me unhappy when I've got a guy like my dad around.
8.) The Day Before Graduation: The day before my college graduation was also Kaitlyn's Prom, so Mom and Stephanie drove from Boston to Connecticut that Saturday to help Kaitlyn get ready. My dad and I spent the day in Boston together. After moving some stuff out of my room, we walked down Comm. Ave to Eastern Standard for breakfast. We spent most of the day (the weather was beautiful) walking around campus and talking. In the afternoon, we went on a river "cruise" with my friends and their families, and for dinner, we went to Noodle Street - the restaurant we've been going to since the beginning of my time at BU. Just getting to spend the whole day with my dad like that was special, and it was a really nice way to end my time at BU.
9.) The Stuff He Does Every Day: I didn't want to leave out all the little things he does on a regular basis. Like when he tells me, "I'm in your corner." Or when he asks me if there's anything he can do to make my life better. I usually jokingly respond that I'll take some cash, but I consider myself unbelievably lucky to have a dad in my corner who is such a genuinely good guy.
Even if he can't dance.
Happy Father's Day, Fazsha!
Love,
Tara
No comments:
Post a Comment