5 Things I Learned from my Dad

It's my dad's birthday and I couldn't celebrate with him so I spent some time thinking about how awesome he is; and then I thought...hey cyber world doesn't know how awesome my dad is... I should tell them! So here ya go! :-)

1) Dream big, you can do anything
I think kids should be allowed to brag about their parents indefinitely so I will just say it, my dad is cool. :-) He was a stinking Major League Baseball Player for 10 years. Granted I was like, 4, when he stopped playing; but none the less, as kids, it sent a big message coursing through our Gross blood... you absolutely CAN do something if you want to. It's not unrealistic at all to think you also could be a professional baseball player or oh, say, a movie star. Why not, dad was famous, and he was just dad. My dad always told me I was the 'the best one up there' when I clearly was NOT. I love that my parents encouraged our dreams and let us pursue them.

2) You help people, you just do.
My dad is just like my papa was. Huge hearts and very open hands. I watched him as I grew up, he paid for my brother's friends to go to camps they couldn't afford and he lent money to all sorts of people when he could, never expecting it back. He told me once that you should never lend out if you couldn't handle not getting paid back, because helping people isn't about that. When he sees someone in need, my dad is so generous with his time, abilities and money. He may never in his life buy you orange juice at a restaurant or a $5 coffee, but when it matters, he'll offer whatever to whomever. Because it's just what ya do.

3)Relax!
I had a little trouble with this growing up. Okay, still do. I take things very seriously, I over analyze and I over stress. I remember one random weekday in Highschool my dad caught me in one of my 'the worlds crashing down' spirals as I was getting ready for school. He promptly informed me I would not be going to school that day; he took me shopping and out to lunch instead. He bought me a black belt and a pair of jeans. Yes I remember. And I also remember that life didn't seem so unbearable at the end of that day... even though all of my 'problems' still existed. My dad has a way of making anyone laugh no matter how mad or serious they are trying to be. It's insanely infuriating; and I love it.

4)Open your home.
My parents are amazing hosts. I remember being fairly young when my mom first told me she and my dad felt they had a gift of hospitality and ought to use it. She was right, and they do. They are the most incredible cooks and they throw great parties. They will start a morning without a plan in sight and end up that same night with 30 people over eating homemade boysenberry pies and ice cream. My dad can make any, and I do mean ANY meat taste incredible, he can whip up a mouth watering meal in 5 minutes and LOVES to do it; for anyone.
All through high school I loved having friends over to our house, my parents made it very clear we could always 'end up' there and my friends seemed to feel pretty at home there as well. In fact, most everyone of all ages seems pretty comfortable at the Gross house. Like I said, my parents are amazing hosts; and you can drop in any time expecting to get fed. Just plan to take it in stride if my dad's on the couch in his "tighty whiteys"; my highschool friends learned to :-)

5)I have worth and value, both to him and to God
I can't remember when my dad starting taking me on Daddy dates, but that means I must have been pretty young. Nothing else in my whole life back then compared to the excitement and specialness of these dates. When we went on one, all the stops were pulled out. I got to wear make - up, he came to the door with flowers and I got to get SODA at Bobby McGees! I felt I had my dad's complete attention and that there was no where else he'd rather be than with me. As I got older I have memories of other such moments. Giving me a purity ring when I turned 13, out on our boat the summer before I got engaged, the moment before we opened the doors for him to walk me down the aisle. Every one of those moments had a number of things in common; my dad was serious and he was honest, he prayed for me and he cried. These are all things that I have witnessed only a handful of times in my 'man's man' of a father, but I will never forget them because they left me with such deep assurance that not only was I so important to him, but I must be important to God too, because clearly my dad was entrusting me to Him.


Happy Birthday Dad. I love you.