Dear Dad

It's Father's Day, and what better way to tell your Dad all that you have to say, through memories.

Dear Dad:

I got you a card, and a small gift.  But both can't even come close to the memories that I have with you.

You adopted me, at 2.5 months old with Mom, excited to have your little girl.

You took me to Burger King when you left the adoption agency for my first meal as a family (I still blame you for my Fast Food addiction...)

You took me to dance classes every week.

You sang "Home on the Range" in a horrible off-key tone just to get a rise out of me. 

You wore the ugliest tooque and rubber boots when you picked us up at school. 

You would let us play on the printable calculators at the mill and take a huge handful of lollipops home every time. 

You made me ham sandwiches with ketchup (sorry Dad, those were naaasty) 

You let me work at the rec hall you managed at $4 an hour, teaching me the value of working. 

You would make us "surprise snacks" and put so much heart into putting cheese and crackers and apple slices on a plate. 

You would say "treat night" only on Saturday nights at the store, but would let us get something every time we were there with you.

You let me play in the firetrucks at the station and showed us how to fill the water truck down at the Nation River.

You taught me how to parallell park down at the public school for hours on end.

You came into the gas station where I worked on my first shift, just to show me how proud you were, even without saying a word.

You put on a brave face when I found out I was pregnant at 17 years old and with keeping Mom calm, you took both of us to my ultrasound, and were there for me when I lost the baby.

You drove me with a packed car off to college in Belleville and made me laugh when No Frills wanted you to pay for grocery bags.

You helped me financially for so many years.

You would come over with groceries from M&M Meat Shops to fill my freezer when I was living alone and was low on funds.

You comforted ME when you were diagnosed with cancer last year.  Telling me that you would be fine.

You made ME proud of you, finishing up your Chemo 2 weeks ago.

You make my heart fill up with joy and love for my Dad.  I can't express to you what you mean to me and how proud I am of you.  You're MY Dad (okay, Kevin & Sarah's too...) but you're also the reason I am who I am today.

Love you Dad.  Happy Father's Day!

xoxoxxoxoxoxox Leslie