I am a wife, a dog mom, a friend, a sister, a daughter, a boss, a counselor, a dictator, a type-a personality, a grammar nazi, a champion Ms. Pacman player, a shoulder to cry on, a realist and about a thousand other things. Those are all secondary to the first title I got as a child:
Daddy's Girl.
I am so much like my father that it might actually freak out my husband some. We have conversations without speaking, and we're just about always on the same page. He trusts me more than anyone else in my life, and he believes in me even more than that.
My father and I are not particularly verbal about how we feel about each other. We tease each other non-stop, and that's our affirmation that we love each other. We don't need more than that. At my wedding, I cried one time. Hubs cried several, but I was a giggling rock for most of the proceedings. During the reception, my dad started the evening with a toast. Most of it has escaped my memory, but I remember it ended with this. "For 25 years, she has been my best friend."
Water. Works.
You're my best friend too, Daddy.
We shoot emails back and forth basically non-stop because of work. We have yet to sign them with our names though. He signs his FF, and I sign FD. They stand for Favorite Father and Favorite Daughter. It started out as a joke because I'm the only girl, but it's turned into a thing. Years later, it's still the only way to close an email.
It's not the only thing that has stuck between the two of us, though. I get just about everything that I do directly from my dad.
From him, I get my twisted sense of humor. I get my ability to laugh at situations that probably aren't funny. I get my realistic look at things. I get my understanding that life isn't fair. I get my understanding that people who look for "fairness" are going to be consistently disappointed with how the world works. I get my passion for my family, but I also get the understanding that blood relation doesn't make it okay for you to take advantage of me or treat me badly. I get my avoidance of confrontation not because I'm scared but because most of the time nothing productive will come of it. I get my intelligence. I get my desire to never stop learning. I get my terrible eye sight. I get my two left feet. I get my ability to sing. I get my lack of desire to be the center of attention. I get my need to know I'm right without the need for you to be in agreement. I get my ability to know when to speak up and when talking is pointless. I get my understanding that if I want something, I better go get it. I get that, for the most part, no one owes me anything. I get my love of musicals. I get my love of the Beatles. I get my love of just about all music that isn't about slapping hos (and even some that is). I get my love of puns and bad jokes. I get my attraction to nerd culture. I get my ability to know when to just drop it. I get my detachment from certain things because being attached was just too hard. Did I mention the Beatles? I get my love for wishbones because he always used to save the wishbone from dinner for me. I get my love for bull mastiffs. I get my ability to be grounded in reality while still wanting to splurge maybe a little too often.
Best of all, I get a relationship with the best person I have ever known. I get the worlds greatest support system so I can grab what I want while having a safety net if I miss.
I get my Daddy.
On your 74th birthday, FF, I hope you know how much you mean to me. You are the reason that I am who I am. I will always be happy with myself if I can continue to be so much like you.
Love,
FD
PS: If there is one thing that he certainly taught me, it's that it's oh-so hip to be square kids.
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