Happy Father's Day

An Open Letter to My Dad:
Dad,

On a trip to California when I was 18 and Kevin was 16
. Look how buffyou were. And I was a brat on this trip. 

From my earliest memories, you have always tried to make me happy -- from buying me sweet tarts at the bowling alley as a kid to telling me a boy wasn't worth my time in my teenage years to watching my kids while I flew off to France as an adult.
I can't think of anything I've wanted to do that you haven't supported.
And because you always thought I could accomplish whatever I wanted, I did too. I didn't know to be afraid to try new things
I guess you are the definition of unconditional love.

At my wedding. You looking dapper in your gray tux.

You gave me the strength to move around the country to various jobs, to travel to amazing places around the world. Your support provided the gumption to raise three kids homeschooling them and to finish that first novel and see you hold it in your hands.
I'm not saying you always approved of what I did or that I didn't disappoint you or get on your nerves. That California trip for one... but even when I made mistakes, I knew they didn't change the way you felt about me.
There aren't many people in the world who offer unconditional love. I guess I'm kind of naive because I thought that a mom and dad always offered unconditional love to their kids. But as I ventured out into the world, I learned that wasn't true. I guess I'm one of the lucky ones to have a dad like you.
Happy Father's Day.

With my three kids when they were little and they
already knew what a great father and granddad you were.