THEY SAY IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY

So--Dad--we're gonna have a good time.

Let's start with a big:
HAPPY 55th BIRTHDAY!!!
to, seriously, one of the best men I know.


And to get this party going, we're going to throw out a couple more of these:

And for the main event, the 55 reasons why I love you more than anything and why I am so grateful for this day.

1. I love that you are tall (See above photos). 6'6'' to be exact. You never had to act intimidating when dates came to pick us up, you just were ;)
2. But really, we all know you're a big softy at heart.
3. I love, that thanks to you, I'm tall too :)
4. Everyone who knows you, respects you.
5. I love that I look like you. To the point that if someone you knew saw me, would come up to me as ask if I was your daughter...and not just in Downey :)
6. You were the best Trick-or-Treating partner I ever had.
7. That you are on-time. To EVERYTHING.
8. You are so handsome. Every time I see President Uchtdorf  speak, he reminds me of you (again, see photo above.)
9. I swear you can fix or build anything.
10. You are the most responsible and dependable person I know.
11. I love your cooking.
12. Did I mention I love your cooking? I also love that you make me whatever I want when I come to visit.
13. You've been an example and an advisor to me in helping me to conquer hard things in my life.
14. From Rubbermaid bins full of my highschool memorabilia or my car, you have always been so great about storing stuff for me.
15. You're the best person to have a movie fest with.
16. I envy your organized food storage
17. You taught me that the only way to fix some things is with elbow grease.
18. Thank you for serving a mission
19. I love you for being the type of dad that after I drove home from the high school at 12:30 am, on a flat tire, you are a) standing out on the porch waiting for me (your fatherly radar was phenomenal) and b) had the flat tire fixed and taken care of before I woke up the next morning.
20. Because of you, I've been blessed to have access to a worthy priesthood holder my entire life.
21. Taught me the joys of classic rock
22. I'm so grateful to have you as an example to my son
23. You are one of the hardest workers I know
24. You never swear
25. You are a wonderful husband which allowed me to easily recognize what good husbands look like when it was time to find my own.
26. You taught me how to drive. A stick shift. Even if after we got home mom would ask us how it went. You would reply, oh fine, only to walk away and reveal a sweat mark that started at the nape of your neck an stretched all the way down to your lower back.
27. You are always working to become a better person.
28. Even though I've talked to both Phil and Autumn about partnering up with either of them to enter the Amazing Race. I've always thought in the back of my head, but if I really want to win, I'd go with dad.
29. I like your nose. And I'm glad (among many others) that it got passed to me.
30. I think your funny. So very funny.
31. You adore and take excellent care of mom.
32. I never hear you gossip and you rarely judge others.
33. You love to travel and are willing to visit me wherever I move.
34. You rarely complain.
35. You taught me that there is a difference between being worried and being concerned. 
36. You have unwavering integrity.
37. You bring a new meaning to the term "magnify your calling"
38. You have always been a huge proponent for all of us getting our education.
39. You have helped all of us in paying for said education :)
40. I am grateful you passed on your ability to blow your nose to me.
41. You are always doing things that need to be done that no one else wants to do.
42. I know if I need someone on my side, your the first person to go to.
43. I love how you always write reminders on the back of your hand.
44. I can't count how many times you have helped me or me and my family move.
45. Pajama pants. Need I say more?
46. I love that you like things clean and organized.
47. When I think of adjectives to describe you, one that immediately pops into my head is humble. Any of your many accomplishments, achievements, etc, I've found out from another source besides yourself.
48. We share the same sense of smell. 
49. I love that your a "catch and release" type of a guy.
50. I love hearing you laugh. Especially, your loud, huge-smile laugh.
51. I love that so many things in our home growing up, were made by you.
52. You are a fabulous Pompa and both my babies love you.
53. I love talking to you on the phone.
54. Did I say my babies love you? Because they really do. And so do I.
55. I love that when I woke up today super cranky because we were all sick that my mood changed immediately when I remembered it was your birthday and started feeling all sorts of happiness and gratitude to know that I get to have you in my life. Happy birthday, Dad!

4 comments:

  1. Today is my dad's birthday too. He's 50.

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  2. How fun is this post!? I'm printing it out to put in a family file.

    Happy Birthday Dad! You are wonderful!

    FYI - you would WIN with dad, but we'd be the most memorable. :)

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  3. You are a sweet daughter! He will love having that list to keep. We did something like that for my Dad on his 50th and he had it by his bed for the longest time and would read it often!

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  4. This was so sweet. This made me miss my dad. I'm sure your dad feels so lucky to have a daughter like you.

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