Happy Birthday, Dad!!!

Dad,

I am guessing that you have never been on our blog?? Maybe mom has read you a thing or two from it....and maybe she has shown you some pictures (if not...we need to change that!) And I am guessing that mom is reading this to you right now...so...give her a minute to get her kleenex first. You see, it has become a bit of a tradition on our blog to honor people on their birthday be doing a "birthday list"...pointing out some things that we love about the "birthday boy/girl".

So, keeping with recent tradition, here is your "birthday list" ( I decided I better limit it to ten, because that is what we did for mom...you know what I mean??) of things we love about you!!

1. Your amazing work ethic
2. The way you tell a story
3. How (when the boat broke down) time after time, you would drive to Raccoon Lake, run the boat to Tom's Marina, and get it back ASAP so we did not miss out on any lake time!
4. The way you coached basketball (with such passion and excitement!)
5. The way your players respect you so highly to this day....you are very loved!
6. Your sense of humor
7. The way you always demanded that Mike, Tim and I respect authority figures (teachers, coaches, referees, etc.)
8. How you would baby sit for Brock...and how you broke your ankle when you jumped out the window and off the roof to rescue him from the locked door!!!!
9. Your love of Bluegrass music
10. And, last but certainly not least.....one of the things we love most about you dad, is how you keep hanging in there with your Parkinson's.....we know it is very tough, but you just keep plugging away...and for all the times we have not said it, we are so PROUD of you for that.

And speaking of PROUD...let me just close by adding that one of the things I am most proud of in my life (more than any award, honor or degree I have earned) is being able to say that I am "HOWARD LEEDY'S DAUGHTER"!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday, Dad! We love you very much!