Dad

This weekend my dad and step-mom came to visit and help out with some work that needed done on my 100 year old house. My step-mom, who is incredible at interior decorating, helped all three kids spruce up their rooms with little extras that really brought out the themes they had chosen more. She even gave me some suggestions on the rest of the house. That was a very very good experience for me, I've had a difficult relationship with her most of my life. Which brings me to my dad.

I'm a daddy's girl. I always have been. My parents divorced when I was six and dad moved about 5 hours away and married a woman who already had two daughters just younger than I am. I felt abandoned, replaced, rejected. But, through it all, I always knew that my dad is an amazing person and I never stopped loving him or wanting to be around him. It's taken years of healing and realizing that while he's pretty amazing, he's also human and has made mistakes. I have to forgive him those mistakes and remember the incredible man he really is. He's warm, generous, friendly, smart, handy, and flawed. He's very very real, and honest about his life and the lessons learned. He and I have a lot in common as adults. We've both struggled with being non-custodial parents, with manipulative and controlling ex's, with questions about theology, religion and God in general. We both have a tendency to jump into relationships too quickly, before thinking them all the way through. We're both very passionate about love and life. I had a chance to talk to dad for a couple of hours this weekend. It was eye-opening, affirming, healing and most of all, real. I feel closer to my dad than I ever have in my entire life. I'm so thankful for him and his candor.