day 023. [father's day]

This really won't be a "highlight of my day post" more like a "tribute to my dad" :)

This one's for you Arsenio B. Baleros!

I wish I could be back in Oak Harbor to simply just tell my dad, "Happy Father's Day!" But I think he can wait another five days to hear those words. I could call him, but I do want to tell him in person.

To think, I haven't seen my dad for about a year! I don't know how I've managed that one. We might not have the greatest relationship at times, but you know, he's my dad and he's taught me some of the things I know now.

You know, if it wasn't for my dad's love of technology, especially cameras I wouldn't be so into photography. In fact, at first my dad didn't even want me to have my own camera. He'd get mad at me sometimes because I'd take his digital camera to do some photography work. That's when he finally bought me my first digital camera (sometime in 5th/6th grade).

Since then, I've been hooked. Other than the artsy side of my dad, he's definitely the athlete. He got me into tennis, with a little help from my brother who played as well. Also, because he was a distance runner, I thank him for that because I definitely have the build of a sprinter, but I've managed to hold my ground when it comes distance running all due to my dad for passing down his genes for slow-twitch muscles.

Putting aside the "materialistic" side of my dad, a lot of people can't tell, but I'm a Navy Brat. I happened to be a Navy Brat that got moved once, and I got moved pretty young. So I was lucky enough to live in one place for most of my life, but let me tell you something. It wasn't easy being a Navy Brat kid, especially when I was a boy and my dad was the navy parent. The times he would go on deployment felt like FOREVER! I remember one time though he was on deployment for a good 3 months. I would cry when we would drop him off and I would sometimes cry in the morning when he wouldn't be by me in my bed to wake me up for school. What!? I would miss him! :)

I think the hardest time was when my dad got deployed in Afghanistan early after the 9/11 incident. Man, did that shake my world. I don't remember how long he was gone for, but it definitely felt like a long time. Luckily, we got constant updates as to how he was doing. That was good and always put me at ease.

At times, we definitely didn't see eye to eye, but isn't that the relationship of a teenager with any of their parents? Now that I'm 19 and I've spent almost a year on my own, I appreciate all the times my parents and I didn't see eye to eye, especially the times between me and my dad. They were only trying to teach me the right things to do, but I didn't catch on then, haha. It obviously took some time for things to click, haha.

Despite the times when my dad and I didn't see eye to eye, I can't help but think how lucky I am to at least have a dad and a father figure. I'm not talking about those people who literally don't have dad's, I'm talking about those that have them, but it doesn't seem like they have one at all.

Although for awhile it seemed like I was fatherless and I was having to look to other male figures in my life to be like a father figure, things turned around. We have to back-track a bit, but my senior year of high school my main father figure was God. He was the only thing I had, besides other male figures, that was like a dad. Last summer at summer camp (best time of my life) God let me know that it was my time to shine for my dad. This separation my dad and I had this past year did wonders on our relationship. We're getting there, but I am so lucky to have a dad that is there. Thanks for everything, dad :)

Sorry for the randomness in this entry, haha :)