Thankful Thursday

In many past blogs I've written about my amazing Mom here, here, and here.

It's really been on my heart lately that I need to pay some attention to another amazing person in my life as well.

My mom married my stepdad on July 17th, 1993. You could say that was a day that changed mine and my mom's life forever.

[My mom with her parents at her wedding]

Looking back I don't ever really remember going through the, "You're not my real dad stages" [or at least saying it out loud and if I did, I'm sorry Dad]

He was and always had been a great provider for our family. Growing up in California we had a pretty nice little life. House on a coul-de-sac, beautiful green grass with a palm tree in the front yard, and the beautiful California sunshine to soak up every day. When I started to get older and my parents added Wesley and Hanna to the mix, they soon realized that plush little California life was not as good as it could be because the school districts were not what they wanted. An opportunity arose and our family moved on up the west coast and settled in Washington. I was mad at both of them - they took me away from my school, my friends, and the only life I'd known. Now, I look back and realize that they loved me so much that they were willing to take me away from my school and friends to give me the life I deserved.

My dad is a frugal man. We laugh about it now, but really, one of my favorite memories is going to the store with him when I was a teenager because there was a sale on Tillamook cheese and toilet paper and he had coupons to use! He's taught me more about saving money, being realistic and the real world then I ever wanted to know, but I'm thankful because that grown-up part of my heart knows it's the right thing.

He may not be the most lovey-dovey kind of dad, but I know his heart and that he loves me as if he was my biological father. He even had a conversation with my mom one time and asked her, "Did you have acne when you were a teenager? Because I didn't so Amanda must have gotten it from you." ps-thanks mom! just kidding :) But you see what I mean?

A couple years back he lost his father to cancer. I watched him spend the months flying back and forth to and from Las Vegas making sure to spend all the time he could with him. On the day of his funeral I cried tears for my dad. I couldn't imagine losing your parent, and didn't want to.

On the day of my wedding, as I walked down the aisle arm in arm with my mom and my dad and biological father right behind me, it my dad that said, "Take it all in Amanda, look at everyone and how beautiful everything is. It's all for you two." I had held it together pretty much until then, but as you can only imagine, I lost it after that. The ugly cry set in lol.

[Me and my parents on my wedding day]

So basically what I'm trying to say is, I love you and am so grateful for the life you've provided for your family. I know we've disagreed and butted heads in the past, and Lord knows I'm sure we will in the future, but it doesn't matter. I'm sure I get my stubbornness from you ;)

Today I'm thankful for my dad.