Letter to my Dad

Dad,

Since I was a little girl, my time spent with you has always been precious to me.  Although you’ve traveled for work throughout my entire life, I don’t know another dad who has spent more time with his children than you have.  Despite your traveling you’ve managed to do so many things for me and for our family.  You have taken our family on countless vacations, and all of them are cherished memories of mine that I will have forever.  I can’t count how many times you made it home from a business trip just in time to leave for an away basketball game to watch me cheer, or to drive me hours away for a horse show.  You’ve always been there for me when I’ve needed you.  You may think that it goes unnoticed, but I promise you that I notice and I promise you that I appreciate how much you’ve done for me. 

You’ve bent over backwards for me for 22 years Dad, but you’ve also given me something much more precious than that, something that many children don’t get in a father.  You have always believed in me and you have always loved me.  Never once have I doubted that you love me, and never once have I doubted that you would support me in anything I want to do.  I know that you will always believe in me and that means more than you can imagine.  You are one of the few constants in my life.  I move from Arkansas to Illinois and back and forth.  I am constantly making new friends and saying goodbye to old ones.  But I know that I can always turn to you for support and that you will always be there for me with your humorous wisdom.  You’ve encouraged me to make my own decisions, and to make them the right ones.  If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be the strong and independent person that I am today.  I love you so much Dad.  I am so blessed to have you as my father. 

~Kelsey

Christmas Time!

It is officially Christmas time and I am so excited that it is!  Christmas by far my favorite holiday.  I love all of the beautiful lights and decorations.  I was able to go home over Thanksgiving break and help my family decorate our house.  In our family it is a tradition to play Harry Connick Jr. and sing as loud as we can to the songs while we decorate our tree.  Some would say that our tree isn't "beautiful" as far as all the ornaments that we put on it, but I think that our tree is the very definition of Christmas.  We don't have a single ornament on our Christmas tree that doesn't have a story or a personal meaning to someone in our family.  Each of us has certain ornaments that we put on the tree with a smile because of the happy memories that the ornament brings to our mind.  Christmas is all about family to me and our tree definitely represents family.  My favorite part of the season is that I get the chance to go home for a few weeks and just spend some much needed time with my mother, father, sister, and brother.  I miss them so much during the school year and I think that may be what brought about my great love of Christmas.