He's also really smart. Even if he doesn't know something, he likes to think about it and apply what he DOES know to figure it out. He's constantly learning new things and sharing them with me, because he knows I'll think it's cool too.
Unlike me, he's a total math brain. He loves that stuff, and he's great at it.
He has a great streak of mischief in him that is never, ever going to go away. Deep down, he's still a little boy, but he knows when to contain it. Sometimes when something happens, we'll look at each other and I know we're thinking the same hilarious thing.
He's also very strong in his faith. God is the center of his life, but he's not a goody-goody at all. He makes Christianity seem like the most exciting adventure ever. When he talks about God you can tell that he has this incredibly exciting, personal thing with him.
He does the right thing, and somehow doesn't seem stuck up or boring at all. He stands up for what he believes with strength and class. He always practices what he preaches. He's the most unhypocritical person I know, and so I listen to him.
He's the person who can talk sense into me when no one else can. We argue, definitely, but it's never a fight. It's an argument. We view those the same way: an opportunity to exercise logic and persuasion skills, a time to make our point known and listen to the other side. Sometimes I'm right, sometimes he's right, but we always come away from the talk with a new perspective.
We learn something new all the time, every day, and so much of what I know, he's taught me.
He taught me to swim.
He taught me to love puns.
He taught me to appreciate life.
He taught me to love God.
He taught me how to respond in non-offensive ways.
He taught me that being a Christian can be exciting.
He taught me to WANT to do the right thing.
He taught me Greek.
He taught me to tie knots.
He taught me to face my fears.
In every way possible, he's the best person I know and I love him more than I can ever explain.
Happy birthday, Daddy.
~Stephanie
