Thanks, Dad

I've been thinking about my dad a lot this summer.  I came back from my trip to New York, riding the high of a great vacation, and feeling absolutely uninspired about work.  I realized that every time we came back from a family vacation in the past, my dad had to go straight back to work, a place that is just not as great as vacation.  This past week, I worked ten and eleven hour days, showing up to work at 7:30 am.  My dad usually shows up to work earlier than that, and works late as well.  I called him earlier this summer, and I was having a really hard day.  That day my parents met up with my sister to get dinner and gelato.  My dad told me he got a medium and he needed a size that big to share with me, but since I was in PA, he would take care of it.  I immediately started crying.  Not my usual tears that seem to happen so often on the phone, but genuinely distressed and homesick tears.  And he just handled it in the best way possible, of course, making me miss him even more.  I didn't get to be with him on Father's Day this year, and that was harder than I expected.

I always knew my dad worked hard, but as each day and hour seems to drag this summer, I've realized just how much he sacrificed so I could have vacations, volleyball camp, and every other luxury I take for granted daily.

So thank you, Dad.  I'm sure so much of you just seems like second nature to you or not something you even notice.  And for a long time, I haven't really noticed your sacrifice either.  But thank you, really truly.  You're a great dad, and I'm not sure you know how much that means to me.

xo. Elise