Day 7 of the Think Thankfully 30 Day Gratitude Challenge

I really think my mom thought I was joking when I said I was using the image above for my 30 Day Gratitude Challenge blog posting today! Well, mom, sorry!!!  I'm using it!!

Folks, let me tell ya a little bit about my dad. First of all, he is THE BEST father any girl could be fortunate enough to have. My dad is an absolutely amazing man who really is the best example of what a loving, God fearing man should be like. He has the patience of a saint, a heart of gold, and an insane amount of love for my mom, my siblings and I, and his 6 granddaughters as well. He truly is THE BEST!!!

By profession, my dad was a school teacher. He spent every single school year of his 35 year career teaching 4th grade. The longstanding joke among us all is that we got farther than him in our education since he never got out of the 4th grade! A humbling moment in my life came when I was attending Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, myself being educated in Elementary Education. I had to participate in what was called a Professional Semester, where we spent 8 weeks at the college in classes and then 8 weeks in a school setting learning some tricks of the trade. My Pro-Sem Professor (Dr. Elizabeth Liddicoat - I will NEVER forget her) began talking about a teacher she LOVED working with in the Whitehall Coplay School District. My ears kinda perked up (not that I wasn't listening all along, but that particular school district meant something to me). She proceeds to talk about this gentle giant of a male teacher, who on appearance might be intimidating to young children due to his size, but yet was probably among the best teachers she ever met. I sat, enthralled a bit, as she talked this teacher up a pedestal. She spoke of how he greeted his students with a smile and always had a joke for them and then.....AND THEN.....she proceeds to say that if anyone ever had the opportunity to see Mr. (Insert my father's name here) in action, they would be better teachers for it. I almost died. How that woman never put my last name to his was beyond me, but she was truly taken back by the fact that Mr. (Insert my father's name here) was in fact MY DAD! I've always looked up to my father professionally and have always said that if I could be just HALF the amazing teacher that my dad was during his career, I'd consider myself a good teacher!

Well, a few years back, my dad officially retired from the field of education. He turned in his too-numerous-to-count tie collection and briefcase for a new hobby! At first it started as homemade brandy making....and then it turned into homemade wine making.....and finally, we are at the homemade moonshine making! I made the mistake (well, really it WAS NOT A MISTAKE AT ALL!!!) of stopping in after work today because he had some testers for me. One glass and this girl was pretty numb! Giggly, giddy, chuckling at everything, and silly....yup that was me! When my grandma came to my parents' house (which she does almost every Thursday for dinner), I politely told her I was not slurring words, I was speaking in cursive!!!  And then, the inspiration for tonight's blog posting hit me!!!

I am so THANKFUL for my dad's ability to make and bottle the most amazing tasting liquid refreshments! It has been a long time since the state stores have seen my money for bottles of wine! I'd much rather drink my dad's stuff!!!  Hey......no one ever said that what we are thankful for in a day's time HAS to be serious! At this moment, THIS is truly what my heart is happy for!!!

Thanks Daddy!!!!  Think Thankfully!!!