The Woman I Am Today (Part 2)

Photo Credit:  Kenn W. Kiser from morgueFile.com

I'm the woman I am because of your love,

For that, I am grateful to God up above.

For all that you are and all that you do,

On this Father's Day, I want to thank you.

Thank you, dear Daddy, for working each day,

For food, clothes, a home, and bills that you'd pay.

Fixing on cars for neighbors in need,

Ready and willing to do a good deed.

Hours of shift work must’ve been tough,

Year after year, that must’ve been rough.

You did it for us, night after night,

Doing your best - you did what was right.

Lots of hard work paid for my education,

To earn my degrees in ole College Station.

You and Momma were quite the team,

So proud of us - your eyes would gleam.
Thank you for teaching me how to fish,

Not afraid to help out or wash a dish.

You taught me to throw the cast net too,

Perch, shrimp, and mullet - we caught a few!

You helped with the projects I did for school,
And boy did I magnetize many a tool!

Afternoons of playing backyard baseball,

Being there for me always, a soft place to fall.

As a child, I tugged on your brown, shaggy beard,

How exciting it was when vacations, they neared.

Traveling meant making memories to treasure,

Thanks for teaching me fractions and just how to measure.

Thank you for showing that real men do pray,

They trust and have faith, thanking God every day.

I’m sure that we did not always agree,

Thank God for hugs and that they are free!

For teaching me how to drive my first car,

Especially the standard!  Those rocks flew so far!

That hill was so scary and boy did I stall,

Your patience prevented a sad, sobbing bawl.

For your humor and laughter, I’ll never forget,

Your hot dogs and burgers fresh off the pit.

Thank you for loving my mother so much,

Remembering birthdays with flowers and such.

Forty-two years is amazing to me,

A marriage of true love for people to see.

For showing me just how real heroes look,

To fight for our country – what courage that took!

For bravery, honesty, hope, and the truth,

For helping me pull that very first tooth.

I’m the woman I am because of your love,

And because I was raised with help from above.

Thank you for guiding me gently with care,

For teaching me always that love is to share.

Thank you for all that you gave up for me,

As I grow older, it’s easy to see.

The love you gave along the way,

Made me the woman I am today.

I thought it was only fair that I write a part two to this poem to honor my dad.  Happy Father’s Day to my wonderful dad and to all of those special men out there who share their fatherly love with others.  I love you, Dad!