Happy Birthday Daddy!

Today is my Daddy's birthday and I'm so sad that I can't be there to celebrate with him. He and my mom are on their way back from the Cayman Islands. They went there with a group that my mom sings with to perform at a church that the Southern Baptist Convention planted (I think) down there in Grand Cayman.

I know he had a wonderful time enjoying God's creation and getting to talk with the natives, but I know it would have been better if he had been able to go snorkling or swimming with the Manta Rays. The sea is Dad's favorite place to be.

Anyway, I just wanted to post a little Happy Birthday message for my Daddy. He is truly my best friend and I can't imagine having any other daddy but him. He's been my biggest cheerleader all of my life and is so proud of whatever I do. He introduces me as "The girl who knows everything before anyone else does" and boasts that I knew about MSU's coaching hire before anyone else did. I try to explain that I only know because I'm part of that grapevine of athletics, but still he persists.

He's taught me how to love my Lord wholeheartedly and how to laugh at myself. He's shown me how to lean on God in the difficult times and not on my own understanding. He's been a great example of a true follower of Christ, sacrificial love and living out God's mission with reckless abandon. He's shown me how a woman should be loved by a man through his proud love of my mom, and has given me a glimpse of how my Heavenly Father could love me so much.

I'm so proud to call him my Daddy. And I never pass up the chance to tell people that he played football for MSU. And that he held records in track and field for Mississippi until just a few years ago. And that he coaches the Peeple's Jr. High soccer team to their first soccer championship.

He's my friend, my hero, my coach, my cheerleader, my teacher, my audience, my Mr. Fix-It, my favorite hug-giver, my fishing buddy, my counselor, my book of reference, my leader.

He's my Daddy.

Happy Birthday, Daddy! I love you like a hog loves slop!