Happy Birthday, Pepe!!!

Today Pepe turns the big 6-9!!  Wowzers!!

But before he was the awesome Pepe that he is today, he was my Dad.  And let me tell you-- he rocked!  

My dad was definitely the original Mr. Mom.  He cooked, he cleaned, he helped with Science homework.  There wasn't anything he couldn't/wouldn't do.  My friend Nicole mentioned the other day how much she loved to come over my house because my Dad was such a great cook.  I can't tell you how many times we would just be hanging out in my room and my Dad would appear with a plate of freshly made french fries or some other delectable goodie.  I also fondly remember Sunday mornings as pancake mornings.  My dad would make me a stack of pancakes that got smaller and smaller and smaller until, much to my delight, the top one was a little tiny pancake.  

Yes, my Dad is also the ultimate nerd.  For Christmas, we usually always got one "Dad" gift.  I remember one year, both Wendy and I got a calculator.  We of course laughed and shrugged it off.  Yet, that little device got lots of use during my high school torture of Algebra, Trigonometry and Analytic Geometry.  And let me tell you, when I was packing up my room to go to college, guess what I took with me? Yup-- my trusty calculator.  

He is by no means an emotional guy... or talkative for that matter.  But he always finds ways to show how much he cares.  I used to come home from college for visits and find little notes in my car the next morning (along with $20 for gas--woohoo!).  Last summer, when Eric and I moved back to Windham, my Dad was over every week, helping us get settled in and do all the "house stuff" that we weren't used to doing.  Even the day Alice was born, my Dad took the morning off from work to be in the waiting room and be the first visitor to welcome her into the world. 

I am very thankful to have such a great Dad.  And extremely grateful that Alice has such a wonderful, loving Pepe.  

So Happy Birthday, Pepe!  We love you very, VERY much!!