Four decades ago, a man was born (well, okay, he was just a boy at the time). He was the youngest of three, born to two of the most amazing people I’ve met in my life–my Granny & Pawpaw (aka Nancy & Edward). My dad. My first “knight in shining armor.” (Hi, my name is Megan, and I’m a ‘Daddy’s Girl.’)
That’s right, my dad is 40-years-old today. I know, I know. How can that be? I remember when I was a kid; I used to think my parents were so much older than I was. Holy cow, I’m ten and my parents are THIRTY?! They’re OLD. I just have to laugh at that now because I’m twenty and my parents are forty. That’s not old at all!
I honestly get the same thing all the time: wow, your parents are so young. (For the record, it doesn’t bother me. I like that they’re young! Then again, I now think sixty is young. It’s strange how things change as you get older.) Like I’ve mentioned in posts before, my parents married at a young age. (November will be their twenty-second anniversary, so Dad was barely eighteen when they married. Mom had been eighteen for eleven months, though.) They married after knowing each other for eight days (I still love telling that story), and just a little over a year later, I was born (six weeks premature, I might add). Seriously, they were KIDS. I’m twenty, older than they were at the time, and I can’t imagine having a baby right now. Not only that, but I had to stay in the hospital for a month due to a form of apnea I had, and could you imagine having to go through that at the age of twenty? My parents are strong people. Around a year after that, Mom became pregnant with my sister (who just turned nineteen on Tuesday. Geeeeeez.) and Dad joined the army. He ended up going to war in Operation Desert Storm. Can I just say how proud I am of him for serving his country?
My parents had this frame with a picture of me in it when I was a baby. It said, “Anyone can be a ‘father,’ but it takes someone special to be a ‘daddy’.” I’m lucky to have always had my “Dad” in my life.
Dad is such a smart man. He has always worked hard to support his family (which my 1996, consisted of three kids when my brother was born that March). There were tough times, I’m sure (when are there not?), but he always managed to get us through.
I’m so thankful for my dad. I’m glad he was there to see me graduate high school; I’m glad he walked me down the aisle; I’m glad he supports my decision in anything that I want to do. Mostly, I’m glad he’s my dad.
Happy 40th birthday, old man. 
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Happy Birthday to your dad!
That is such a sweet picture! Your dad sounds amazing. I’m happy for you that you have such a great relationship and admiration for him.
That is such a nice picture of you and your dad! Happy Birthday to him!