August 4th is one of my favorite days of the year! It’s the birthdate of my dad, DWS!

I know, first time you’re seeing his ‘name’! I bet you never thought it would happen!

If you know my dad, you’re lucky. And if you really know my dad, you really are in good company. He is smart, scary smart sometimes, knows random bits of information, hmmm…I wonder if that’s where I get that from! He gives good advice, even when you don’t know you need it.

He was a teacher of Special Education, he taught health for a bit, Assistant Dean, you name it, he’s probably done it. When it came to teaching, no one could compare. He knew what he was doing and he cared about his students, really helped them become successful people. He used to do job training with the challenged students and I remember when he would run into them years later, they would tell him what’s happening with their jobs. That doesn’t happen with people who don’t make a difference.

He’s funny, I mean really funny. Anyone who knows me knows I love jokes; good, bad, clever, kids, groaners and what are now referred to as ‘ Bad dad jokes ‘, I love that! I tell jokes he told me too my training classes! They groan, but they love it!

As soon as I hear a joke that makes me laugh, I call my dad to tell him and he laughs, many times a good belly laugh, hmmm…I wondered where I got that! When he laughs, it makes me laugh, I even called him during a class once to tell him the joke I just heard, the class heard his great, genuine laugh! So, I hear it, I tell him, then I remember it.

He’s a good listener, share things with him and he listens, if you want to talk, he will, if not, he won’t. And he can talk, about so many things, we talk books, music, art, movies travel, you name it, we’ve probably talked about it! We give each other recommendations on movies, Netflix, books, music. Oh, go to an art museum with him! So knowledgeable, we send hours together in the museums, admiring, soaking in, commenting, wondering.

To see him with family, immediate family, extended, grandchildren, he’s Papa, Papa D, he gets down on the ground, plays, tells jokes, gets silly, tells stories, plays games, hugs, tickles, love, love and more love, just a treat.

I could keep going, but I might not stop and then it will be his next birthday!

I can’t imagine life without my dad in it or the man that he is, a different dad, nope, not possible, can’t imagine it.

Happy, happy birthday DWS, daddy, I hope today is as fabulous as you are! I love you!