Happy Birthday!

Today is my Father's birthday. He works today; coal miners have the choice to get off on their birthdays (one of the random union rules) but he's going in because when you do work on your birthday, you get triple overtime. Yes, triple.

But even though I mention he's a coal miner, he's so much more. I bring up the mining because it still blows my mind. It makes me shiver thinking of him a mile under the earth's surface with dynamite and massive machines and coal. He's also a reader, a huge reader. He loves books and when I visit, we sit side by side on the couch and read together. He's also a self-taught woodworker. He made my bedroom suite and I love it - it's mission style and doesn't have a screw in it. I adore his attention to detail when he's creating something.

I am so lucky to have a father like I do. He's strong, caring, generous to a fault, and slyly funny. He has hands like a bear. He has permanent coal lines on his face that makes him look like he's wearing mascara. He knows how to comfort me when I cry.

Happy Birthday, Dad! I'm blessed to have you and love you very much. (Sorry for the blurry picture below, it is all I have on my computer!)