The fun weekend came and went all too quickly (back in March!) A quick trip to Love Field brought my dad to Dallas for his 1st visit since I moved here. What a great time we had.
The 1st evening brought a quick tour of the neighborhood, an ever exciting 1st visit with the three little ones. They behaved surprising well (I think it might have to do with the fact that he is so tall) Jet behaved like a champ and Ellie was insistent on getting as close to him as possible. I think on a few occasions I spied Grover getting most of the loving - they made quick friends!
Destination Day: A quick breakfast at iHop and we hit the road for CABELA'S! Excitement was in the air. My dad is an avid outdoors-man and to finally after, all these years of buying through their catalog, get his hands on to real thing(s)!
Of course we did the ever important photo ops of our arrival. I must admit, I was just as excited to see Cabela's with him. Who better but Mr. Outdoors?
I am going to digress for a moment... The weekend visit got me to thinking about the what I love about my Dad and the things that mean most to me about him. In thinking back through the years I found that there are many wonderful memories. The most memorable moments (there are many more then this of course) of My dad coming into my life are:
1. The Circus in Portland Oregon. Just the two of us, no brother, no mother. It was wonderful! It made me feel special, like I was the most important person to him. I don't remember having ever gone to the circus before that time, and only once after that in my early 20's. The specifics of the day are gone but how I felt that day has stayed with me forever.
2. Flying to Seattle. My Dad, My Mom, Me and a really really really small little itty bitty plane, flown by him.
3. My 1st Horse. Zephyr. who all but tried to kill me every chance he got. Mean ass horse. But my dad took me and we picked him out together. He was a beautiful horse, just a real ass. What more could a daughter want? Nothing, a horse and a chance to live in the country. I may have pissed and moaned about it as kid, but I loved it. I loved the snow, I loved the seclusion and the space. Building fences, chicken coops and all the fund stuff that comes with it. The smell on a fresh snow day waiting for the school bus before the sun came up listening to the stillness in the air. Collecting eggs in the mornings from the nasty chickens and experiencing the strange things that happens with fresh eggs when you have chickens. Two funny Canada geese Poncho and Lefty. My dad made up for the mean ass horse and when he got a wonderful big ol' horse for himself, Luke. So damn big that I had to crawl up the hitching post to get on that sweet ol' horse.
4. Camping. One trip to the NW with My Mom,, Dad, Brother and Step Sister Barbara and two dogs... in a bronco. We did survive and I am here to tell about it! The other memorable trip was just with my mom and dad up to the continental divide.
So in the end, my dad gave me a childhood and a foundation that I will be forever grateful for. I am also thankful for my mom (not only just for this); for making such a wise decision to fall in love with such a wonderful man. The father that I did not know I needed so much until I grew up and look back on my childhood.
So, here we are arriving at Cabela's! Just the two of us for a day of fun at the outdoor mega destination. What a destination it was! Made me want to pull out my gun, boots, buy one of everything and pack up for the middle of nowhere! - ok, as long as there is internet connection to Zappos and delivery truck that can find me once I get to wherever "nowhere" might be.
We had a great time this weekend and I am still forever grateful that he is my Dad! What a lucky girl I am.
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