We have so much respect, love, and appreciation for our Daddy.

Where do I begin to share with you all about the awesomeness of our father? My Dad’s nickname growing up was “Sonny”, and my little sister Keasha always says… “Everybody should have a little Sonny Brown in their life.” Today, more than any other time, I concur with her assessment. We are very blessed to still have both of our parents; because many people find celebratory days like this one very difficult to experiences. I greatly empathize with that reality and whoever is readying this and misses their father, I invite you to share mine in this short blog exchange.

I have always been a self-proclaimed “Daddy’s Girl” and I am sure that few in my immediate family would disagree with me about that position. All of my siblings and Mom tell me that emotionally, I am very much like my Dad who I would describe as walk softly, but carry a big stick if people start trippin’!! Ha ha.  My father and I have always seemed to have a mental, intellectual, and spiritual connection that allowed us to communicate without words.

My parents were very young when they married (around 19 years old) and at times it seemed that we were growing-up right alongside these young parents. In my opinion there was only an upside to that reality. There are numerous stories I could tell about how my father has been there for his family, from the time he helped me manage my asthma as a youngster by encouraging me to run with him down by Summit Lake at 6 am in the mornings, to the time he walked from his factory job returning home with actual icicles hanging from his nose as he had to walk home from Barberton, Ohio when his car broke down. Because of my Daddy’s encouragement during my early years, I went on to become a star-athlete in junior high and high school in track and field earning a silver medal in Junior Olympics competition and breaking a school record in the hurdles as a teenager. My father supported and encouraged us not only in our extracurricular activities, but also in our academic and spiritual development. I remember my father attentively reading my papers during my undergraduate and graduate years in college and he remains today the smartest and wisest person I have ever known. These are not simply the musings of a daughter holding larger-than-life exaggerations of her father; because there are easily 5 more sibling corroborators along with a long host of grandchildren who can attest to how very special and wonderful our Daddy (and Grandpa) has been and continues to be.

One of the few pictures of our Daddy as a teenager.

My Dad is the oldest of seven siblings and only he and my Aunt Bev are still on this natural earthly plane with us out of that group. I can only image the heartache associated with the transitioning of your parents and most of your siblings that my father has endured.  Nevertheless, my father’s spirit and dignity always allows us as a family to remain both mentally and emotionally strong during some of the toughest challenges in our lives.

Of course, there were times when I thought both of my parents were out of touch as a youngster growing up, believing that they simply didn’t understand how things are changing in “The World”. But, I have come to realize as an adult that my Dad’s claims (as per King Solomon) that there is nothing new under the sun have been pretty accurate, and that although technology and innovation has introduced new complexities in life, human beings maintain a consistent type of character that if you are attentive, you can learn how best to negotiate. Ultimately, wisdom is the principle thing with my Daddy (1 Kings 4:29; Proverbs 4:7). It is because of my father that I always had big dreams and was never afraid to pursue them. Words cannot express the joy I felt being able to Skype with my Dad from Chile and sharing with him my excitement about traveling to another country in the pursuit of my PhD.

So, in order to try and wrap up this post and honor to my father I have to say that the “true” blog post would be much too long in my effort to describe how my father has always been a man of quiet dignity and strength for all of his children. He teaches and examples to us the virtues of hard work, family support, loyalty, and how placing God as the head of your life can greatly assist in directing for you a prosperous path. So on this special date, I pause to thank God for my Daddy and every time I see his smile, hear his laugh, or listen to him pray, I am every more appreciative to be his daughter. ¡Te quiero mucho Papi! Gracias por todos. ❤  🙂

With the help of my daughter I could Skype and laugh with my Daddy and Mommy from Chile

Saturday family homemade Ice Cream scoops with Daddy pre-Father’s Day

It was perfect weather today for our get together BBQ in order to celebrate the awesome Father’s in our families.

Happy Father’s Day to all who call or know you as you Daddy