Happy Birthday Dad

Today is my dad's birthday ~ and he told me a few weeks ago that he was actually born on a Friday the 13th, and 13 has always been a lucky number for him.

So - in honor of it being Friday the 13th, here are 13 things about my dad.

[1] He goes by his middle name (which my sister tried to do with her son, but is really hasn't stuck I don't think)

[2] My dad is an excellent card player (I was warned and told, but saw it for myself when we all sat and played hearts, my husband kept up pretty well, I must say)

[3] My dad sleeps naked (this is a great story, for a much later post)

[4] He tells a good story/joke/anecdote

[5] My dad is incredibly good looking, if I do say so myself!

[6] My dad is the younger of two siblings, he has an older sister, who, by all accounts for the last 30+ years has been (sometimes affectionately, sometimes not) called "Crazy Aunt C."

[7] My dad graduated from Pepperdine with a degree in history and has consistently worked in social services related to youth services/youth help since then (I'm pretty sure... skipping the forays into selling cars with his uncle; helping to run a short-order restaurant with my grandfather; trying his hand at farming -- there may be some other short-lived career adventures, but to put it in broad strokes - he's always had the heart to improve conditions of others.)

[8] My dad almost always plays devil's advocate in conversations & discussions.

[9] My dad is dyed in the blue denim liberal.

[10] When I start thinking about how much I love him I start to cry.

[11] I love it when he calls me "Blondie"

[12] In 4th grade I spent one semester living with my dad, step-mom, step-brother, half-sister & half-brother on a farm outside Alex, Oklahoma. What a change from my life as an only child of a single full-time working mom.

[13] He's got a great voice and an aptitude for music -- I wish he could/would find more joy in that in himself.

I love you dad!