"A dad is someone you never outgrow your need for."

      Ok, ok! I'll admit it. I'm grown and I still need my daddy!  I have to be JUST like him too. As I wrote in my first post, he is my inspiration. For as long as I can remember dad was getting me into everything he was getting into. I was going backpacking and bike riding before I could walk. He bought me my first white water kayak when I was nine years old and then drug me down a rushing river in the mountains!  This was the same year he took me on a "bungee ride" that included 4G's and a five point harness on the side of a mountain. My dad is the outdoorsy type man if you haven't noticed already and although I enjoy all of that, it wasn't necessarily "my thing." We're from a small town, so to go kayaking and backpacking you have to make a road trip across state, so it wasn't something we got to do often. Therefore, I got into competition dancing, high school cheerleading, and Junior Miss (a scholarship program that resmebles a pageant). Did he enjoy going to allllll of those dance recitals? No. Did mom have to wake him up a couple of times during them? Of course. What about alllll of the Junior Miss programs? Well, he enjoyed the money I got from it. The high school football and basketball games? We didn't have problems getting him there. He's a man after all and doesn't mind watching sports.   Even though he would complain about them, I know my daddy was at his happiest when I was at my happiest which was when I was dancing, cheering, or participating in a Junior Miss event. Even though I'm out of most those of now (with the exception of Junior Miss), I know that my daddy is still the happiest when I'm the happiest.

      You see, I'm writing this for numerous reasons. From the title of my blog, it is obvious that I want to share my journey with you. Therefore, it's only natural that I speak of the people in my life who have impacted my journey and continue to every, single day.  One of those people, my daddy.  My dad was a military brat. My papa chose to make the army his career, which moved my dad's family around a lot. After growing up in that kind of enviornment, dad realized that he needed structure in his career which is why he became a police officer and worked his way way up to the top as the Cheif of Police. I've never been more proud of someone, because we all know that police officers along with the armed forces, fire fighters, doctors, etc. are the nation's finest. Dad loves the people of town I grew up in, so after retiring and seeing the need for a change in the local government, he ran in the 2009 elections (won by a land slide) and became a city councilman. Again, I've never been more proud. Dad wasn't running just to run or to continue to be in the public eye, dad ran because he knew the town was in a desparate need for a change and wanted to help the citizens. *Notice the connection here: I'm a political science major and criminology minor. See any irony?* Wellllll....since retirement  and long before the idea of running for city council, dad's been debating the idea of going over seas to train police officers in a foreign country. I suppose you can say wanting to help people is in his blood? The man just can't stop! Haha. At first, he was thinking about going somewhere like Kosovo for a year. HA! You can only imagine the fit my mom and I threw about that one. He debated this and debated this, and finally said no. The idea never went away; it was always in the back of his mind and on his heart. Then over the summer, a buddy of his was privileged enough to become the department head of a program that does overseas training. Oh, joy. You can only imagine where this one is about to go. Dad is one of the newest members and employees of the Department of Justice and will be leaving for Bangladesh on Thursday. Thankfully, he will not be gone a year! I cry everytime I think about this, even though I know he's going to be all right. I've come to terms with it, simply because I have no other choice. My daddy's a hero and wants to help people, just like I want to. I can't be mad at him or the situation. After all, I knew this was going to happen regardless. God has clearly planted this in my dad's heart for a reason. Him not having to go for a year is a blessing in itself! I know if going for a year in a high-risk country was his only option, he would have gone. My dad's that kind of man. He would have never been satisified if he didn't embark on this journey in his life and follow God's will.

      I'm going to leave you with this and ask a favor of you. As my dad, my inspiration, my hero embarkes on this journey please keep him in your thoughts and prayers. No matter, what religion you are, I ask that you please do this. I also ask, that you treasure every moment you have with your dad and everyone else who impacts your life daily.  Whether we realize it or not, they're the ones that keep us going and have helped shape the people we are.

      This song is by Steven Curtis Chapman. It's called "Cinderella." I've always said I was going to dance with my dad to this song at my wedding- I still plan to.