A Lifetime of Love

Dear Dad,

Today is your special day. 70 years young! How wonderful to have achieved such an honorable age, don't you think?

7 decades of life. 7 decades of experiences. 7 decades of memories.

I am thrilled to have been part of your life for my own 47 years here on earth. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for giving me life and for raising me to be the woman I am. Because of you I now have my own amazing children, and I am grateful for your wise counsel as they were growing up.

You are such a cherished part of my life memories. I lay in bed this morning reminiscing about my childhood. A lot of memories are not really in my mind, but are there because of our treasured family photos. Looking at them brings the memory to life. We have photographs of me with my head on my dinner plate as I waited for my daddy to come home after work. A photo of you and I sitting on the floor around the coffee table with my tiny tea set and you pretending to drink my tea. Another photo of you sitting soaking wet in your clothes, after trying to impress me by jumping over my little inflatable swimming pool- and falling a little too short of the mark. A photo of you and I under our Christmas tree which was always surrounded by an overwhelming number of presents no matter what our family circumstances were that year. So many photos... of countless summer picnics and fishing trips, company Christmas parties, family reunions, impromptu dinners where we laughed til we fell off our chairs.

And Dad, you know how much I appreciate you always- ALWAYS- being there for me. Always picking me up at the subway station when I missed the last bus. Never hesitating to get out of bed in the middle of the night and jump in the car to come rescue me when I was somewhere I really didn't want to be. Driving me and my friends anywhere we wanted to go, even if it was a hundred miles away.

Daddy, you never once gave up. We had rough years, difficult times, challenges and crisis just like any other family. But you were strong. Always there. You were our strength. I am so thankful for you and your love.

You gave up so much for me and at the time I was quite unaware of it all. Not until I had my own family did I realise just what you had done for me. I really can't remember you ever saying you were too busy or too tired, or too broke. If I asked for the moon you gave it to me. Guitar lessons, accordion lessons, figure skating, swimming, painting classes, every kind of dance lesson there was, late nights at drama club in high school, pick-ups at the public library when I choose way too many books to carry home. You were there. Always.

And Dad... even now as a grown woman, I know without a doubt, that you are still always there for me. When I am freezing cold here in Albania, when I am worried sick about one of my kids, when I am afraid of going to the doctor, and for so many other situations- YOU are there for me.


I can't imagine life without you Dad. You have loved me for a lifetime, and you've never let me down.

Happy Birthday Daddy!

Love always,

Kimmi