When I was a child, I idolized my dad. Honestly, not much has changed. He has always been prone to "flights of fancy" that I completely took for granted when I was little. For example, my brother and I were routinely treated to a "candy tree" where we were convinced that fairies or leprechans hid candy for us once a week. He loves holidays and always made sure that he went above and beyond to make them memorable. I can't even put into words how much I appreciate the memories I have because of the efforts both my parents put into things. Just the silly "imaginary holidays" like Flounder Roundup and traditions like river rafting, Spaghetti Factory and crazy Halloween endeavors help me to feel grounded and part of something that stands the test of time. I want that for my kids and I adore seeing them spend time with both my parents. I can see those traditions being handed down and it fills me with more joy than I ever thought possible. We'll be headed up to Seattle for a couple weeks this summer and even after only two summer visits to the NW, my kids know what to expect.
They can't wait to pick blueberries at Denae's, skip rocks at the cabin with their cousins, troll the beach for seastars with Craig, win kite flying competitions on Whidby Island and throw french fries to the seagulls at Ivars. I couldn't ask for anything more than that. Thank you, Dad, for teaching me to appreciate the little things in each day and helping me to pass what is important to my kids.
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