“My Father Didn’t Tell me how to Live; he lived and let me watch him do it”

1. He's hardworking~ My dad has always been a business man. He was traveling a lot for work when I was a child. All his long hours and hard work made it possible for my mom to stay at home comfortably with us kids during our early years. He has always been highly esteemed and respected in the business world. 

2. He's wordly~ Dad knows a LOT about a LOT of stuff. He has traveled a ton for both work and leisure. He has been to other countries and learned about their cultures. He has learned different languages so he could fit in better in other places. He knows how to drive, survive, and thrive in huge cities. And he will try anything once-- including very weird stuff like frog legs, alligator, and shark!. 

3. He understands me~ My dad and I are SO much alike. My mom says it all the time. This is one of the reasons I stand by "nurture" is greater than "nature" in so many ways because Im 100x more like him than my biological father. Dad would rather be at home away from big crowds, and reading a good book (just like me.) He is very set in his ways and gets grumpy if they change (also like me). He doesn't lecture me when I mess up, he knows I am hard enough on myself. 

4. He intelligent~ Dad is insanely smart. He was top of his class in highschool and college. He reads just as much as I do. He helped me with my homework and school projects when I was a kid.. and now he even helps MY kids sometimes. He keeps up with current news, and everything in politics. 

5. He is generous~  Growing up, I watched my dad tip just about everyone. And not just waiters, but tour guides, hotel people, etc. He gives to charities every Christmas. He has helped people (including myself!) out of a bind. He used to do our taxes for us (until Arnold figured out how!) 

6. He's a jokester~ I give him a hard time about picking on me so much, but I really do appreciate his silly side. He has always made your typical dad jokes. He will sometimes send funny memes to Arnold and I (usually they are political!) and he got a great laugh out of the year I gave him some Obama toilet paper as a gag gift!!! haha. 

7. He's a good cook~ Mom does most of the cooking at their house (and he prefers it that way!) but my dad is a great cook. He does all the grilling. He also makes low country boil, which is my favorite!! And he usually deep dries turkey at thanksgiving. 

8. He's big on tradition~ I think dad is one of the reasons why I am big on traditions, now as an adult. Dad would start things and then carry them on  in just about the same way, every year. He made him and mom steak and me hotdogs every Saturday night. He would read us the Christmas story in the Bible every Christmas before could open gifts. He would take us on vacation to Lake Lure every Summer and Fall. We had to the same tree farm every year. It was things like this I grew to love, and  some of the things I even passed on to my family.