sixty-seven years good

it's my dad's sixty-seventh birthday on sunday and we are going to be in las vegas to celebrate with him. it's hard to think what to get someone who has had such a profound impact on my life. golf balls? hardly. so i was looking through old photos because i'm going to make him something from pinhole press and came across these from a trip we took six months ago to seattle.

he took elodie and i to a beautiful park and we had a great time feeding the ducks, playing on the playground, blowing bubbles, just being together. it brings me so much happiness to see him and my stepmom with elodie. they care so much for her and she, in turn, feels at ease and loved. i guess the greatest present i could give him would be for him to know how very blessed i feel to have him in my life.

dad, you make me laugh. you encourage adventure. you tell the silliest (longest) anecdotes and i love rolling my eyes and looking at mary when the next one is coming along. you let us eat ice cream. you believe in me even though i have always walked an unproven path. i look back on all of our times together and hope for more, more, more. i enjoy your company and at the end of the day, that's all i wish for my future with elodie. i love you.