The Man that is My Dad
When I was about 5 or 6 years old I met the man that I would end up calling my dad. My mom was a single mom of 2 and working 3 jobs to provide for us. While she was at work I was across the hall at my friends house playing with the people that I would end up calling my brothers. Well my dad who at the time was just Mr. Joe would feed me if I was hungry and would let us kids run around the apartment making noise even though he just got home from working a night shift. This man showed me love from the very beginning. This is the man that taught me how to ride a bike, cook a meal, fish, bake and so much more. It was because of my dad that I discovered my love for being in the kitchen. Every Christmas we would bake cookies and he would let me be in charge of measuring all the ingredients out and putting them into the bowl. All throughout the year he would talk my mom into buying cake mixes and brownies so that we could make desserts. He would help me to make desserts whenever I wanted to. When I got old enough to bake on my own he would gladly send me into the kitchen to make some sweet treats.
Growing up I was not like other teenagers, I did not watch MTV or BET I watched the Food Network channel or any cooking show I could find. I would cook dinner when I got home from school so my parents did not have to do it when they got home from work. As I got older and got money of my own I would go out and buy ingredients to make sweet treats. I started with boxed cake and brownie mix, I would add my own twist to make it my own. From there I went to making cheesecake and cookies from scratch. I slowly grew my baking skills to making different desserts. I would buy food to make dinners that I saw on the cooking shows and put my own twist on them as well.
My dad loved that I was baking and cooking on my own, because it was not only one less thing that him and my mom had to do but everyone in the house got some good food out of it.
To this day my dad will still get the grandkids together to make sugar cookies for Christmas. I am beyond blessed to call this man my dad. He is a truly amazing and selfless man. He makes sure that everyone in the family is taken care of and has what they need. Even when he has a right to be selfish and worry about himself he doesn’t and thinks about everyone else instead. I always call him the communal dad and grandad. Anyone can call him dad and all the neighborhood kids call him grandad.
There is so much that I could say about my dad but I will end this entry with this last thought; my dad means everything to me and is part of the reason that I am who I am today. When I have been in some tough spots he was always there to push me forward. I know that he always has my back and I can count on him to answer my call no matter what time it is.
I love you dad more than I can express in words. There is no way to ever repay you and mom for all that you do for me. Just know that I truly appreciate all that you have and continue to do for me.
