some g.d. respect

This is belated, but I wanted to quickly post a little something about my dad. When I asked him what he wanted for Father's Day, he responded with a quote from one of our favorite Clint Eastwood movies about wanting some g.d. respect.
Well, I do respect him and I bought him the movie for Father's Day. :)
I am so grateful to have him as a father, I think he is a true example of unconditional love and selflessness. There have been a few occasions in the last few years I've lived away from home where I've called him very late at night, which in Texas usually ended up being extremely early in the morning. He always answered the phone and listened to me as I cried about my latest problem and woke my mom up in the process so they could both offer their advice and support.
My dad has a tendency to surprise me with his reactions to some of the trouble I get myself into. Instead of being angry when I dropped my very first cell phone into a toilet, he simply laughed at my hysterics. In fact, he still brings it up seven years later and still laughs about it. When the boy I was dating left on a mission for two years, I expected him to not really care. But he bought me a gallon of ice cream, a big bag of peanut M&M's, and an encouraging card. When I broke my jaw last summer in Utah and flew back home to Texas with my jaw wired shut, I expected him to make fun of my ridiculous braces and inability to speak. Instead, it was obvious how badly he felt for me and he did everything he could to make my pain more bearable.
I could go on forever with fond memories of my dad, like waking up to speakers placed outside our room on a Saturday morning blasting Bruce Springsteen, hours of playing catch in the backyard, kickball, talks in the car, Mom separating us in Sunday School because we couldn't stop making fun of each other, going to Quizno's on our lunch breaks during my senior year in high school, deliriously cursing at him when he woke me up for seminary, and convincing him that I am only useful for getting food when it comes to house projects like the pool and working on the siding.
I love my dad and I have always admired the relationship he and my mom have. I hope someday I can find someone who loves me as much as my dad loves my mom.
Happy Father's Day, Dad!