we'll sing a song that we all know...

my dad just had a big birfday.
he normally doesn't like his birthdays,
and i know this one was difficult,
but if he was unhappy he sure did not show it.
it made me very happy to know that there was at least SOME bright and happy part of his getting older that was shining through.


i love birthdays!
love'emlove'emlove'em.

"in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. it's the life in your years." - prez lincoln

my dad has lived a pretty cool life thus far. 

he volunteers his lunch break every monday to plan, prepare AND serve a meal at the homeless youth center.

he has a law degree. a doctorate, might i add. 

i know if i were to ask him to help me with anything he would make it possible, even if that means sacrificing his right arm. in fact, that's the reason i don't really ask him for things... i know he would give it to me just to make me happy.

he makes sure to get away once in a while, mostly to nature... hunting, fishing, hiking, camping. the good stuff. 

he's good at sports, but you would never know until you see him play. he's humble bout dat stuff. 

he has a good sense of humor. 

he mentors an iraqi family that was essentially forced to emigrate because of the dangers of their homeland. he visits them frequently, especially as the father, ibrahim, has been very ill. he even bought them their own wii for Christmas. 

he has a pretty old truck that keeps breaking. he keeps it because it is paid off... but also so that the "family car" can be updated and function properly for all the driving it has to do. 

he parks outside in the driveway and offered the garage to my mother and me. 

he really enjoys music. in a big way. 

he has an open mind and i really appreciate it. he's my art house film buddy. 

he really cares about his family. i have called him in the middle of the night stranded and having a break down and he got out of bed to come pick me up and calm me down. 

dad,

i know you're feeling like you haven't accomplished a lot, 

but you've done a helluva lot more than i'm sure you would have imagined years ago. 

you've done a lot of living.

happy birthday, guy.

{top to bottom: time consuming and very awesome banner, awesome yellow buttermilk w/dark chocolate ganache birthday cake, awesome painting of me and my fatha, and the awesome birthday boy}

here's to many more. 

i love ya, father.