Celebration Sunday // Father's Day Weekend

After I finished college, I thought for a while about going somewhere in the world, other than the United States, to help people. I decided I wanted to make a difference. Whether I actually wanted to make a difference, or just didn’t know what I was doing, I can’t tell you. I talked to my dad about it, and I told him what the options were for where to go. He didn’t tell me it was a bad idea, but he reminded me that if I really wanted to help people, all I had to do was look around where we lived. Now, don’t get me wrong, he has never discouraged me from seeing the world or following my dreams, but in that moment, I just needed reality.
He is this guiding light to all of us of what it means to work hard for what’s right and to always give people the benefit of the doubt, even if we all know they don’t necessarily deserve it. He works harder than anyone I know and doesn’t ask for a thank-you anywhere along the way. No matter what idea we ever have, even when it seems totally wild – he tells us to just ask someone who could help us with that idea or dream. “If you don’t ask, how will you know? It never hurts to ask!” By just asking, I have been able to accomplish SO much and have found opportunities that seemed so out of reach. I aspire to be like him, but in my heart of hearts, I know it won’t happen. To go through life constantly doing for others, without expecting any feedback along the way? Real talk: that’s impressive. He is a giver, a doer, a lover, a joker, and the kindest and most honest guy I know. I could go on like this for ages.
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The good stuff: My dad’s birthday was also today! What a double whammy. I love that it was an extra extra special day, but kind of wish that he had them on separate days so he could celebrate twice as long. I wanted to make a kind of Dad Cake for him. Landed on: lager-vanilla cake, strawberry preserves (my mom made these recently), vanilla buttercream, and pretzel-milk crumb. I still need to work on the cake recipe a bit. It was good, don’t get me wrong! But I feel like it needs a little work. Beer buddies out there, I used New Belgium Summer Helles in the cake.

I will post the recipe for the cake once I have a chance to make it a time again or two. I hope you had so many smiles this weekend, and I hope that you were able to eat and drink with people you love. Are you thinking about something that seems impossible? Know someone who could help you or make things easier? “If you don’t ask, how will you know? It never hurts to ask!”