Happy 60th Birthday Dad and Grandpa!

This picture of my dad has won awards and has been on display in the Meridian Mall several times, it shows his true spirit, his love for his country and for the Veterans of our land.

This is where dad is happy, on the water or in the woods!

Today my dad Roger turns 60 years old! We went up north yesterday to celebrate because Dayton has baseball tryouts today. We always have fun when we are together, full of laughs, my dad is a jokester and can tell the funniest stories, his memory is amazing and I can't believe how he can tell a story about his childhood and remember every detail. He has led a crazy life (he would be the first to admit it!) and loves to share his memories, I swear I don't know how he has lived to be 60 after hearing about some of his adventures in life! My dad raised us girls to be strong individuals, he always had a firm hand and we grew up knowing that you didn't want to make dad mad :) . He was a tremendous athlete in high school and wanted to play football in college, he got drafted just a few months after graduation and served in the Army for 4 years during the Viet Nam War. He had married my mom just 6 weeks before leaving. My dad became injured on the job when I was 8 years old, rupturing discs in his back. He would never be able to do labor like that again. He eventually opened a sporting goods store when I was 11, he has always been an avid outdoorsman and this was the perfect place for him. He became well known in our state and served on many boards and committees in Michigan concerning wildlife and the out-of-doors. He had been a frequent guest on the news relating to the hunting and fishing in our area. He was a professional fisherman and enjoyed traveling to tournaments. My dad became a huge advocate for the physically challenged and fought to give them easier access to the outdoors. He became very passionate about helping the veterans in our country and serves as the chaplain of many Veteran motorcycle chapters. I would have never believed that my dad would bring Christ into the lives of so many people, but he does. He has a way of relating to so many people, he reaches out to the people that are usually forgotten or overlooked by so many. I know of several accounts where people on their deathbeds have accepted Christ as their savior with my dad by their side. He never gives up on people. He might seem unconventional to alot of people but he gets through to the individuals that need the love of Christ in their life in order to save their life. In so many ways I am nothing like my dad and in other ways we are very similar. He is not a healthy man, actually, it is a miracle he is still alive, he has suffered from diabetes for 20 years now and it has definately taken a toll on him. He has recently been told that he had been exposed to agent orange while in the service, after learning more about this subject it really explains alot about his health issues. His kidneys have been failing and he has been told he needs to think about dialysis, something he refuses to do. We never know what life will throw at us and we truly enjoy our times together. Period. He is a tough person, I have seen him bounce back many times in my life. We keep our sense of humor and go on. We have to. So today, I celebrate my dad and his life, all that he does for others, and for his undying spirit and patriotism, God Bless You dad for everything! Happy Birthday! We love you!