Papa Klop

My dad has always done an exceptional job at practically showing his love for those he cares about. Whether it was working overtime to make sure we could have that extra special Christmas gift, or planning an extravagant vacation and holding nothing back, we always knew that he wanted the very best for us. Here's some of my favorite moments. I know there are many more, but these come to mind right away:

As most little girls do, I really wanted a pony. (Well, I wanted a lot of things and my dad usually got them for me, but THIS in particular really stole the show. What can I say? My dad was a softy.). So, back to that pony. We lived on 5 acres and already had 2 horses. But, they were race horses (literally), so they were a little intimidating to ride. I wanted a pony I could sit on and trot through the fields on. Well, my dad's friend was getting rid of their pony, so my dad jumped at the opportunity. So, in the most picture-perfect way, a brown pony with black mane, with pink ribbons intertwined, was dropped off at our house. Sam was the perfect horse for me.

For my 16th birthday, my dad was making me a hand-carved hope chest. He wanted to finish it for my birthday, and in the process he lost 2 fingers. So, we spent my 16th birthday in the ER. But, I sat there knowing that my dad cared for me more than I could ever imagine. {And the hope chest is beautiful.}

As much as I hated it in high school, I always knew that my dad cared about me because of how protective he was. I think one of the hardest things he has ever had to do as a dad was let his 20-year-old daughter get on a plane to fly to the other side of the world for 6 months. I got on the plane tearfully and sat down to read the index card he had handed me. In a style true to his own, he only wrote a few short sentences on the card. But, they were enough to let me know that he had done the best thing a dad could possibly do for his daughter: he had committed me into the hands of my Heavenly Father and was entrusting me to His care.

Thank you, Dad. I know that wherever I end up in this world, I have an earthly father who helps me to understand the love of my heavenly Father a little bit better.