Over the weekend, we celebrated my dad's birthday. This year was a lot less rowdy than past birthday celebrations for Steve (ahem his 50th), but we celebrated nonetheless.
In case you don't know my dad, here is how we have to prepare for his birthday: 1. Notifications from the birthday boy himself start arriving approximately one month before his actual birthday, informing us it's his "birthday month" 2. The notifications continue, growing stronger during the week countdown 3. I pick out his card in the "funny birthday" section and try not to get the same one as my sister or mom 4. I spend hours trying to find him the perfect present, but struggle because he doesn't want anything material and already owns everything University of Michigan 5. I give him my funny card, a coupon to come for a grill out on the deck, and refer to him as King Stephen all day. These 5 simple steps of preparation and celebration have been happening for years, and every year I am reminded by my dad that time is really the best gift I can give him. I am so grateful for all the time my dad has invested in his wife, his son, his daughters, and now a new son-in-law. The last part, the son-in-law part, is particularly humbling. Getting married was such a transition for my family, re-entering the term son, or for my sister, brother, back into the family vocabulary was and is difficult and painful. Yet, my dad really pioneered the transition for my family. Austin will never replace Nick, no one will, but I am grateful for a dad who has kingdom vision. Dad, thank you for loving Austin, building with Austin, car talking with Austin, and sharing all your dumb jokes with Austin. My dad's selflessness, love, sense of humor, and investments of time extend much farther than his family. I'm sure many of you who have experienced my dad as a coach, youth group leader, or second-dad, know what I'm talking about when I say he just knows "how to dad." I pray I have years upon years of birthday celebrations left with my dad, and that we will continue to embrace time as the best gift. In the meantime, here's to being ready for whatever his April Fool's scheme is, listening to him when he tells us to "ask google," and watching him laugh so hard at his own jokes he's crying.
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Hi! I'm Haley. Archives
May 2019
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