A Very Belated Birthday

My siblings threw a surprise party for him since this is his 70th birhtday. We were in California so we weren't able to be there. Each of us kids wrote my dad a letter of a favorite memory. Here's what I wrote:

Happy Birthday Dad! We really wish we were there to celebrate with you. This is certainly a milestone birthday.
There are lots of wonderful memories I have of you, that it’s hard to narrow it down to just one. You’ve taught me so much in my lifetime. I really give credit to you and mom for me being the person I am today. How do I thank you for that? Now that I’m a parent, I have a whole new appreciation and love for you.
One of my most fond memories is of our family camping. I loved that we lived so close to the mountains and how you would often come home early from work on a Friday and we’d load the camper up, and head for the hills. You gave me an appreciation for the magnificent mountains that were quite literally right outside our back door. Once we had found the perfect camping spot, you would take us on hikes, or fishing, or play games with us at our camp. We were even lucky to see the milky way one time and I’ll never forget that incredible experience. However, my most favorite part of camping with you, was always the bedtime stories you would create. There is one still to this day that I remember. Those stories would often be hilarious, and always had some moral point to encourage us to follow. They made me feel safe in the dark woods. I chuckle now that I married a man that does the same thing with our kids. I hope it will become a favorite thing about their father too.
You are a wonderful man. A terrific father. A fun grandpa. And someone that I’ve always looked to for guidance. You’ve given me the greatest of all gifts, (besides life), the gospel. I really mean it when I say there are so many great memories to choose from. My greatest wish for you this birthday, is that you can look back over your 70 years and feel good about the man you are and the amazing things you’ve accomplished. I love you so much!
Love,
Melissa