Some of that good ole "Dad Energy"

[Alethea (Lea) Bodine]

I love this site ... I don't even have children, but I enjoy visiting and reading about the extreme pride Erie Moms (and sometimes Dads) take in raising their Erie kids. It's a great place to grow up!

WIth Father's Day approaching, I worry about what to do - what to do? How do I honor the guy that supported me all these years? Should I find another tie? ... another book from the "know-it-all" section of the book store? My dad is a tough one to buy for - he's the type of guy that offered to help me make that $250 prom gown when I asked him if he would buy it for me. Do you know the type?

He always had the perfect answer to every question ... well, almost every question. He was, and still is, a tough one to please - but I never really "got" my Dad until I was almost 30. It was then that I finally realized that it wasn't what I could give him that made him happy - it's what I do and how I do it that makes a difference to him.

It took me a while to wrap my head around this one ... don't most people appreciate gifts and flowers and ties and things of beauty? Sure they do. A paper weight crafted with your hands (and heart) is always a welcome gift to any parent. But I think things like long phone conversations, sharing collections of pictures and hand written letters are really where it's at for Dads. They're like Moms, but different.

This Father's Day, I think I'm going to reflect a little bit of that extraordinary energy I always got from my Dad - right back at him. I think I'll put together an album of important and special letters I received in the last year (yes, I save them) and then sit down with him and share what each one meant to me. Yeah I know it sounds silly, but I honestly think it'll make a much bigger splash with him than my tie idea. Don't you think?

[Purplepinkolot]

think it would be an amazing idea!!! I made an album through Apple (I do not have the skills to do it from scrap) of my daughters and gave it to my dad last year. He has not seen much of my girls since we are stationed so far away. My goal is to stop visiting PA (my husbands family is to crazy/weird) and spend more time with him in TX.

Best of luck with the album!