Dear Dad! I Remember.........

1,2, one year and then baby number three is how the Dunlap kids were born lol. Justina, Josiah and Jordan. All J's and all born in the month of September, along with my parents anniversary! Can you say busy month lol? I am so blessed to be apart of an amazing family, and today we get to celebrate my dad.

Dear Dad,

How grateful I am that I can say that word with such joy and happiness. Grateful that that when I hear the word "dad" it means so much more to me than this blog will allow me to express, so let me just try. Some people say that they remember things from

their childhood like their first word, things that happened when they were toddlers, ect. Let me first start by saying that is not me lol. What I do remember are things like you showing me the piano. I remember you not being able to teach me but teaching me to teach myself and learn by ear. I remember you knowing when I snuck and played the organ, even if I put your seat back exactly like you had it lol. I remember you tickling us so hard we cried laughing. I remember you being there when I was baptized. I remember when I wasn't sure that I was filled with the Holy Ghost, you guiding me in prayer to receive more of what I already had. I remember you teaching me to cultivate that gift, by using it everyday. I remember when you started letting me sing with you in church, to allowing me to grow in mistakes as I started to learn on my own.

I remember you taking me to school and to my first job. Every time you dropped me off you screamed " you forgot your toilet paper" and more lol. I remember us learning pranks from you. One of the greatest was when I hid under your bed for about 30 minutes and scared you so bad I almost peed on myself. I remember you being there the first time I thought I was in love and trying to guide me. I remember even when I rejected your guidance, you were still there even when I found out you were right. I remember even with you working you showed us the importance of family, even if we just all watched a movie together.

I remember you being there for my proms, dances and graduation. I remember your nerves the first time I traveled internationally for the first time. I remember you being there for my wedding. I remember when I walked down the stairs and saw you look at me I almost burst into tears. I remember walking with you down the isle as my nerves were calmed. I remember our father daughter dance.

I remember you and mom being there for me at some of the hardest points in my life when all I could do was cry. I remember as a father you still speaking life into me and encouraging me even when I couldn't see that far. I remember you always reminding me of who God says that I am. I remember when we could have lost you. I remember wanting to burst into tears, but at that moment God brought so many scriptures to mind and all I could do was declare them. I remember driving to Cleveland just so you could know that we were there.

I remember all of this because of what you guys instilled in us. As my father you raised and taught me to know the father. The more that I get to know him, I reflect and know that this is the love that I've experienced from you being my natural father. From discipline, sense of humor, rules, encouragement, self discovery, and more.

So thank you! Thank you for not only being our dad, but a husband to our mom, a grandpa to our nieces and more. The true expressions of love cant fully be expressed in this small of a space, but I hope you know that I love you! I honor you everyday, but today specifically because you deserve it !

A Little Fathers Day Treat!!