Bob- I recently got a bunch of old pictures from my mom to load onto a memory card to put in a digital picture frame for a Christmas gift for a couple of family members, that is one of my favorite pictures.  The story behind the story of that photo is he has no shirt on because I'd just thrown up on him. LOL.

Paul- My dad is the best.  He taught me to fish, shoot, cut grass well and love to do it, respect others and to never quit.  My dad also taught me to be competitive, he never "let" me win, he made me earn it... at cards, checkers, board games, kickball, you name it.  I remember him calling out my spelling words, teaching me how to drive, teaching me how to back a trailer (how many girls can do that?). I was so scared I was going to loose my dad 9 years ago, it was a life lesson.  I talk to my parents EVERY day. I will pass on your thanks to him.  I've already seen him today, but will talk to him again later. And thank you for that.

Jeff- I will pass on your thanks.  He does deserve them.  Thank you for giving them to him.

Erika- My dad was 20 when he was the first person in his family to graduate from high school.  He had to repeat two years.  Not because his grades were bad, but because he missed too many days of school having to stay home and help in the farm.  He also taught me the value of an education.  I have my daddy's "sailor hat"  I loved to play with it when I was little.  I also used to love to wear one of his navy shirts. that had Lankford stenciled across the bottom.  When I got married I kept my maiden name because it's my dad's.  It is who I am.  Thank you.

Thank you Mike.  I appreciate your service as well.

Kara- I'd love to give you a long hug.  I have cried today so much, when I wrote this and when I read the comments.  God Bless you and I'll ask God in my prayers tonight to look over you and to let you Dad know that me as an American thank him for the service to his country.  I'm sorry you Daddy isn't with you anymore, and I truly appreciate you thanking My Daddy.

Kim- Thanks for your kind words.

Hugh- Thank you.

Virginia-Thanks.  It's so important for Daddy's to be their little girls heros and I was truly blessed in that department.

Steve- I will be sending him a link to this post in the morning so he can read it for himself, but thanks and I'll pass it along.

Lynda- I love that picture of my mom.  She doesn't like cameras much and there are not too many after she was an adult.  I also loved that car.  We kept it until the 70's.  I wish I had it today. I feel truly blessed to still have my parents.  I still have one grandparent also, she is 90.  Thank you.

Elizabeth- I do really love my mom and Daddy so much.   My daddy is my hero.  He taught me to be strong.  God Bless you too and thank you.

Donna- I will pass along your thanks, I do love my Daddy.  Thank you for thinking of him as a hero too.

James- I couldn't agree more... they all need thank yous and blessings from God.  Thank you for your kind words.

Thanks Dinah- I really appreciate prayers.  I can't get over the skinny Dad picture.  I've always carried a picture of my Daddy in my wallet.

Lisa- Me too I love farmers.  My uncle Richard still lives on and runs my grandfather's farm.  I live in Putnam County which is the Dairy capital of Georgia.  I love to drive down the roads and see the black and white Holstein cows grazing in the fields.  And yes you are right, my Daddy tells me he is proud of me. A lot in fact.  I do love my Daddy, but I've always known how much he loves me too.  Thanks for being able to read it in my words.

Marian- Thank you for being happy for me.  My parents have given me so much and I don't mean "things" although they aren't bad in that department either.  But last Christmas my dad wrote "to the love of my life, my wife" on my mom's gift tag after 44 years of marriage.  That's the best gift ... he loves my mom.