Anyone who knows my dad knows that he loves to run and we kids grew up running with him. So what better way to start the day than with a family fun run (1 mile around the neighborhood). My sister got t-shirts made for all the family members.
My dad modeling the front and back of the photo.
The family pre-run photo.
The Family Fun Run in action.
Dad crossing the finish line.
The birthday dinner.
I think the highlight of my dad's birthday was the gift we gave him. My brother, sister, and I collected photos and favorite memories from my dad's family and friends and turned them into a slide show. It was very cool to see a compilation of pictures and hear stories of my Dad's 75 years. I saw pictures I'd never seen and learned new things about my dad. (i.e. He drove a truck and sold eggs to housewives!) Numerous times my step-mom said my dad was overwhelmed by all the we did for his birthday.
Here are the list of memories I added to the collection:
Dad would pick us up at mom's house every other Friday night promptly at 6pm. I always looked forward to those pick ups. We'd leave mom's and go straight to the library on Far Hills and pick out books for the weekend. I have great memories of sitting in that library pouring through books, trying to decide which ones to take home with me for the weekend. I think the Spot the Dog books won out most weeks. After we finished at the library we would walk through the library parking lot, through the bank parking lot and into McDonald's. How could life get any better? I had an arm full of my favorite books, a happy meal, and my Dad.
I am not sure when I out grew the trips to the library but the trips to McDonald's lasted into junior high and high school. Probably my favorite McDonald's memory was from my summer high school days. When Dad's tenants turned over, he would pay me to give his properties a paint job. It was great to earn some extra cash but what I remember most about these painting jobs is that Dad would always show up in time for lunch and off we'd go to McDonald's. It was great to have lunch with just my dad on those summer days.
At some point in my growing up I decided that participating in the races and events my dad went to would be more fun than collecting race bibs at the finish line or handing out water. I think I was in junior high when I started to do sprint triathlons. Dad was probably in his prime fitness at this time so he passed me up early on in the race. I remember trying to finish the run portion of my first triathlon and thinking I was never going to finish. At just the right moment I saw dad running towards me. He had crossed the finish line and had turned around to help me finish. It was such a relief to have my Dad finishing that race with me.
I love that my memories as a kid are filled with a vast array of adventures and experiences. We did a little bit of everything with Dad. We made home made pasta. He took us camping and spelunking. He taught me how to ski and how to mow the lawn. He was my soccer coach. He built us tree forts, and under the stair forts. He let us work along side him in his workshop and he let me sit on his lap and steer the car. He took us to see Wright State Plays and the Dayton POPS. He let me dunk my donuts in his coffee. Weekends with Dad were a blast and in those 15 years of weekends I only remember having a babysitter once.
The best piece of advice Dad gave me was to work a few years before jumping into grad school. As a senior in college I was very unsure of what I wanted to do when I graduated. I considered grad school and Dad told me I would learn a lot about myself through working. Jumping into the job market was a bit scary for me but to this day I am so glad I listened to Dad's advice. I've learned so much about myself through working and what I want to go back to school for today is very different than what I was considering at 22.
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