Happy Birthday Dad!

This is my Dad:

He's awesome. Seriously.

And he's really smart.

Knows everything, about everything.

One time, about 12 years or so ago he took me on a horseback riding trip in the mountains on the Montana/Canada border.

On one of the days Dad, our guide, and I left camp with the horses to ride up to the top and see an old fire lookout station.

As we were saddling up he says "Melissa, pack your poncho."

"Kay Dad." I looked up at the sky, not a cloud in sight.

The poncho didn't make it into the bag.

Flash forward to three hours later.

We arrive at the top of the mountain only to look out and see HUGE, let me say it again, HUGE, thunderheads rolling towards us.

Ten minutes later, it beings to drizzle, then rain, pour, hail.

"Put on your poncho!!"

Hung my head.

So he gives me his.

As we make our way back down the mountain I turn around to see my poor Dad getting drenched and pelted by the hail.

All because I thought I was a weatherman.

About a half hour later it got so bad and the horses were so spooked that we had to stop and find shelter under some trees and wait it out.

Five hours later we made it back to camp.

My Dad shivered in his sleeping bag all night, but made sure I stayed warm.

If I were to tell this story to anyone who knows him, they would not be surprised.

That's just the kind of person he is.

Did I mention that he's also an amazing Papa?

He and Blythe have a bond that is undescribable.

I love you Dad.