Happy Birthday, Dad

Today is June 15th which means a whole year has gone by since you last changed the digits in your age.

A year has gone by since our last summer cookout, our last camping trip together, and almost a year has gone by since you met me on my wedding day, told me how beautiful I looked, then you walked me down the aisle and gave me away to a boy I met in eighth grade.

I'm still not sure how we got through that together, both trying to ignore the lumps in our throats and hoping that all the tears that had previously fallen in that dressing room together stayed there forever. I don't know how we both made it down that aisle knowing I would no longer carry your last name, and I am still not sure how both of our wedding day attire stayed entirely mascara free.

But we did.
Because that is the kind of dad you are.

The kind of dad who stayed up late when Melissa and I were sick and carried us outside in the Minnesota cold to soothe our coughs. The kind of dad who relentlessly came to dance competitions and  supported bleacher butt in support of his girls. The kind of dad who can guide us through anything scary, exciting, fearful, or wonderful... especially that long walk down the aisle.

So happy birthday, Dad. Hoping your day is as incredible as I think you are.