Happy Birthday Grand Old Banjoist

 

Happy Birthday, G.O.B. aka Dad, aka Grandpa, aka Les, aka the very first man in my life… the one against to whom all others were always measured.

I consider myself lucky to be your daughter; and I am so grateful that our kids have you for their Grandpa.

You teach them, you play with them, you humor them, you guide them, you teach them life lessons with games and fun,  and you share family history and lore just like you did with me.

 My heart pulls a grinch and swells 3 sizes each time I’m able to sit and watch y’all.  Thank you for the gift of you.

 

I’ve learned how to parent, and how to human, by watching you, and listening to you.

 

You taught me to stand on my own, because I knew that you were always standing beside me. 

You taught me the importance of falling down, ,of failing, and you taught me the power of dusting myself off and getting back up again.

Thank you for guiding me toward the right path, and allowing me to make my own decisions, instead of forcing me.

Thank you for helping me to find myself — even when you disagreed with the person I was trying to be, on the way to becoming who I am.

Thank you for guiding me, but never pushing me.

Thank you for being an amazing, flawed, loving, funny, confident, smart, Father and Human Being; one to whom every other boy and man was measured against.

Thank you for standing with me, loving me, and laughing with me on the day you passed me over to the one man who did measure up.

I have spent 37 years learning from you, and I look forward to many more years of learning from you.

Learning about life and parenting, about saying I’m sorry, and not being afraid to show my children that I’m not perfect.

I have grown and learned the most from you, not from your perfections, but your imperfections.

I hope that I am able to teach my children in the same way.

Thank you for helping me to realize that life shouldn’t be taken too seriously, or I’ll never make it out alive.

You have helped me to see the importance of friendship, independence, laughter, love and knowledge.

You taught me to stand on my own two feet, but also to know that it is just as important to know how to ask for help and lean on others when it is necessary.

You were, and still are, the best father any little girl could ever wish for and now, the most amazing Grandpa.

Happy Birthday, Daddy, Dad, Grandpa, Grand Old Banjoist.

We love each of your personalities and wish each of them an amazing birthday.

We love you.  To the moon and back, and beyond

Forever and Always

Rachel, Nathan, Princess, and Monkey