If you are on Facebook these days, you may have seen lots of “make-up free” selfie’s to support Cancer. I too was tagged in two friend’s pictures but have yet to post my selfie. Why, I don’t know. Maybe because I wanted to know more about the whole campaign or I just haven’t gotten around to it.

Or because my father had cancer. Maybe, maybe not. I read this post from Daisy last night and it really hit home. It made me thing about my Dad.

Today’s my Dad’s 68th birthday….sixty-eight!!! I can’t believe he is that old, he really just doesn’t seem THAT old, ya know!

In November 2006, I was living in Ontario dating Sai and I got a call saying that Dad had been diagnosed with Cancer. Tongue cancer….weird, eh! He never smoked a day in his life so why did he get tongue cancer? I just didn’t understand then and to this day I don’t know or understand why but I do know we are lucky our Doctor’s moved fast.

December 14th he had surgery. This was really hard for me as I was away from home, Sai was back in Illinois and I had a four hour drive one way to do a presentation to a school. It was just me and my thoughts. I thought a lot about my Dad, worried a lot, cried a fair bit and stayed glued to my phone. Surgery was done and successful…I could breath a little easier and my four hour drive home wasn’t as stressful.

Sai and I drove home for Christmas….really to spend time with my family. Dad spent Christmas in the hospital so we went to him for Christmas mass/Christmas morning. I’m pretty confident none of us really cared what was under the tree that year. We just wanted our Dad home and healthy.

On Dec 26th, Saï and I got to pick him up from the hospital as he was being released. When we walked in, he was pacing his room. Bags where packed and for some reason we had to make sure we got his Naglene bottle from the fridge which had his watermelon juice in it (we had juiced a watermelon for him a few days before). Once we had his bags and Naglene bottle he bolted! Seriously, he bolted out of the room to the elevator….we caught up and waited for the doors to open. In we went and down the few flights. The doors opened and he started picking up his pace again! He ran out of the hospital. He actually RAN out of the hospital doors on a snowy cold December 26th day.

We ran to keep up with him. And then once outside he stopped. “Dad, why are you running?” I asked. He replied with “because I don’t want them to tell me I can go home today”. Fair enough Dad, fair enough.

So, I’m not going to post a make-up free picture of me but I’m going to share with you my Dad. He is simply the best Dad…I’m sure my brother, Paul and sister, Laura would agree.

1. He used to take me out of school for the day and I would go on his school’s ski trips!

2. One time when I was completely hungover, he drove me back to University, an hour away. He didn’t yell at me for being irresponsible but shared a few stories of when he was young and had too much to drink.

3. He taught me that sport and being active is the way to live a healthy life and that it can take you anywhere.

4. He is the reason I started down the path of Outdoor Education/Recreation and Environmental Education.

5. I’m just like my Dad…we have the same personality 🙂

6. He taught me {and my siblings} how to ski.

7. He drove me {and my siblings} all over the Province to play soccer…and coached us too.

8. He gives up his time {and hard earned money} to help me out when I need it.

9. He still cheers on coaches the Montreal Canadiens from his chair every game.

10. His motto for life: Word hard play harder.

My wedding day with Dad (almost 2 years post surgery)

My Dad loves to dance….we were doing the Jive as “our dance” but he then decided to throw in some hip hop moves I was unaware of 🙂

We share the same passions, three generations skiing. My dad lives to ski and this is no exaggeration.

He love spending time with his grandchildren. Hanging out with big sister Lilly while Hilary snuggles with Mommy. Lilly was just over 2.5 here and Hilary was a few months old.

2013

Instead of a makeup free selfie picture of me, I write about my Dad and how frigging glad I am that you beat Cancer.

Happy Birthday Dad, I love you. 

I don’t normally share my blog on my personal Facebook … but today I will. Take this as my make up free selfie.

Enjoy your Friday 🙂