Happy Father's Day

My father and me.  Mountain View, CA

I'm one blessed daughter.  I did nothing to deserve such a great father, but I thank God that He saw fit to give me one!  My father is a godly man of integrity, setting a wonderful example of honesty, faithfulness, and strength for his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.  I've always been able to count on him for anything.  I can't think of even one way he has ever let me down.  

On this Father's Day, I thought I'd share some snapshots of my dad over the years.   

Alfred Brinson, USAF First Lieutenant- early 1950s

Just look at that handsome face.  No wonder my mom fell for him!

 Engaged!  ~1954

 A youthful father of three. ~1962

England ~1964

My Dad is wearing his "bloke hat" as he called it.  I can hardly remember ever seeing him out and about without one, unless he was in uniform or maybe at church.  When we lived in England, we loved to picnic.  We'd pull over on the side of an English country lane and haul out the lunch!  (I see I already had a taste for Chicken in a Biscuit at the tender age of three.) 

The three of us children had the best birthday parties--nothing fancy, just games and cake at our house every year.  Dad enjoyed dressing up and joining in the fun!  He was the life of the party!

Here is a favorite memory from California.  It was summer, but we found snow at the top of a mountain.   Of course, Dad had to go sliding.  Dad could turn any outing into big fun!

Dad and I often palled around together.  When we lived in Japan, out of the blue he would decide he wanted to go somewhere on the train.  So, we'd usually head toward Tokyo and end up at the zoo.  Dad loves a zoo--any zoo.  We used to tease him that he just wanted to visit his ancestors.  We visited zoos all over the US and on two other continents.  I inherited his love of zoos, and my children have inherited it also.

While I don't have any photos of us at the zoo, I did find this one where we are having a little photo-booth fun one day in downtown Tokyo.  He and I loved to jump in those things and snap a shot together.  Dad was always game for a photo op and to this day still loves to have his photo taken!

 Family vacation to Panama City Beach when I was about 19.  

My wedding day: June 11, 1983.  

Dad is crazy about his three children, fourteen grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren!   And the feeling is mutual, I can assure you.  Here he is recently, goofing around with Caleb while we were at the beach.

Granddaddy and Kyle ~Fall 2012

Over my lifetime Dad has taught me many valuable lessons.  He taught me to honor God, to respect my parents, and to cherish my family and friends.  He taught me history and law and how to read the funny papers.  And he showed me by example what sort of man I wanted for a husband-- a kind, dependable, hard working and rock solid family man.

Happy Father's Day, Dad.  I'll always be your baby.

Love,