Dear Ole Wonderful Dad

For the blog post I was supposed to write yesterday, I'm thankful for my Daddy!

Yesterday was my last Father Daughter Tailgate and I'm so happy my dad got to be here with me!  Today's post I get to brag about my daddy because I'm so thankful for him!  If nothing else, this will show just how goofy my dear ole wonderful dad is...and yes, that's what we call him (or what he calls himself!)

Just me and Glenn back in the day.  Growing up I was always more of a Mama's girl and my sister was more of the Daddy's girl but that definitely didn't last forever.  I'm so thankful for the relationships I have with my mom and dad and I'm so thankful that they're different from each other.

Awwww, aren't we just the cutest little family you ever did see?!  This is probably the most serious picture you'll see of my dad on this post!  We've been close from the start and we've gotten even closer as the years go on!

Yup, here's my dad being a goof ball.  It looks like he's even trying to throw up the diamond but this was before my ADPi days so I don't really know what he was doing.  My dad's sense of humor is like no other.  I don't even have the words to describe it but I'm learning every day that I have his sense of humor.  I definitely find myself making jokes that only my father would appreciate and then just laughing to myself because I know no one will quite get what I was trying to say. (just like my dad hahaha)

World's Best Father, y'all! This is actually Sarah's trophy from winning Miss Yellow Jacket but look how proud he is!  My dad is so supportive of my sister and me.  We know he would have loved a baseball player or a star quarterback but instead he got two sassy cheerleading sorority girls.  Sarah enjoyed sports a little more than I did but for the most part he's had to put up with 21 years of recitals, cheerleading competitions, plays, and sorority functions!  What a trooper!  I'm sure its not easy being the only male in the household, but he keeps smiling so that's all that matters.

This is me and my dad in San Francisco after my freshman year.  I would say it was between my senior year in high school and my freshman year of college that my dad and I got so close.  Senior year was a struggle in the Fogle household and it forced our family to get closer than we ever had before.  That meant my dad embracing 24 hours a day of in-laws and dealing with lots of emotions that went along with the situation with Nana and Laura.  I don't think any of us involved would have categorized this as easy, but my dad did it with the rest of us by his side.  I think one of the first moments during this time that I knew we were really getting closer was when I was nominated for Homecoming Queen.  I came home to tell my dad the news and my dad said, "You better not make me cry, now!"  My dad hasn't ever been a man of many tears (unlike my mom and I) so I didn't think much of this.  However, when he found out I was indeed Homecoming Queen, he couldn't help but to cry!!!  I loved this so much.  He was just so proud of me and didn't even care that he was crying, what a man!  (Boys, take note!)  So that was the first time.  The next truly defining moment in my mind was the fall of my freshman year.  I was still dating my high school sweetheart who had gone to school in Pennsylvania.  I wanted to go visit him on Fall Break and my parents wouldn't let me go alone due to the long drive.  My dad took it upon himself to take off work and road tripped with me the 10.5 hour drive up to Bucknell.  We bonded a lot in those 21 hours in the car as well as the weekend at Bucknell.  I'm so thankful for that road trip and that time we spent together.  We still talk about the trip and all the fun we had!  While there have been many many moments in my 21 years, those two stick out to me and reminded me just how much my dad loved me!      

 

Oh, just the usual Christmas morning around the Fogle household.

Typical...Mama and I trying to look cute and my dad making a funny face.  I wish I had more pictures of all the facials he used to make especially when Sarah and I were cheering!  He would love to make up his own facials and really show us how its done.

Hahahaha no words.  Love this man!

 

Daddy with his girls.  Again, he's making a crazy face but I warned you early on that there wouldn't be many serious faces.  He's so proud of Sarah and I and makes that so apparent in his life.  But we're the lucky ones because we have two awesome parents who love us and would do absolutely anything for us to be happy.

Daddy jumping on the technology bandwagon.  My family isn't much for knowing what's going on in the world of technology.  I get many phone calls of "How do I do this again?" or "Where did you say that file was?" or even "How do I fix my printer? I swear its broken!"  I bet you didn't know I was so good with computers, ha!  My dad started a project during the fall of 2009 to transfer all of his dad's picture slides into digital files.  Its been a long process that I've helped him through but I'm so happy to report he got the hang of it.  He's still not the biggest fan of much technology but I'm trying.  I still haven't won the battle of getting him to switch to a digital camera but now that he has a digital camcorder, maybe he'll make the big switch soon!  (Keep your fingers crossed.)  As much as my dad might not enjoy technology, it sure does liven up my life getting to help him out!

There they are, my biggest supporters on Homecoming.  I'm so happy God has blessed me with such awesome parents who believe in me.  My mom and dad have stuck by my side through thick and thin and I could never thank them enough.  So this year when I called my dad, I asked, "Hey Daddy, what are you doing on October 13?"  He said, "What's that, a Saturday? I'll probably be working in the yard or something?"  I said, "Nope, you'll be escorting me for Homecoming!! I get to represent ADPi!!!"  He said, "You're not going to make me cry or anything, are you?"  I didn't win this time but getting to have him by my side meant the world to me.  He still shed a tear or two but shhhh don't tell. :)

And now for all of the Father Daughter Tailgate pictures through the years...

Sophomore Year

Junior Year

Senior Year

I think one of the things I love most about my dad is that he just gets me.  He knows what to bring up and what not to bring up.  He knows when my heart is broken or when I'm having a rough day and I need to go on a Daddy Daughter date.  (And yes, we still go on those even though I'm almost 22.)  I hope I get to have those until my daddy's old(er) and gray(er).  He has always supported the boys who make me happy even if they're total losers.  He has always supported my dreams even if it means I'll be a broke teacher with 20+ snotty nose kids as he would say.  He cheered me on as a dancer and a cheerleader instead of the all star athlete.  He knows when to leave me alone because I'm about to lose my temper that I got from him.  He always knows how to make me smile and I love him so much for that!  I'm so thankful I got so lucky to get such a great dear ole wonderful dad!