Happy 90th Birthday, Dad!

Today is my dad's 90th birthday! What an incredible milestone, right? 

This past weekend, we threw a small surprise party for him (which was one of the stories I have been sitting with that I couldn't talk about!) and I will show you some of that fun tomorrow. But one of the things we did in preparation for his party was go through a bunch of pictures to share. In honor of his birthday today, I thought I would share some of them here! (They're in random order.)

We'll start with a little vintage Dad-and-Bekah. 

This was my chihuahua, Lassie. She was my birthday present when I turned five. She, unfortunately, did not live a long life, but Dad and I both loved her SO MUCH.

Dad has been a big fan of ALL my pets. This is the only one I could find of him with Kaegan and Braeya together. Kaegan has been gone now for 12 years, so the picture is over a dozen years old.

Dad has radio in his genes too! He recently retired from producing a radio program that he did for over fifty years! This was one of his greatest joys in ministry.

Vintage Mom and Dad...sixty-eight years ago!

My sister owns a pontoon, and she takes them on boat rides every summer. Mom and Dad both enjoy them! 

Typical Dad. :) 

Typical Bekah. :) This was during one of my Mom's surgeries. I was trying to document the day, and I had begun to run out of ideas.

Typical Ryan. :) This was from an evening when Ryan and I ran a photo booth for one of Mom and Dad's Christmas parties at their house.

It just makes me laugh.

Dad loves to mow the yard. This is actually not his yard, but it is from a day when he came to help Ryan and me at the Greentown house (Ryan's house before we were married) right before we listed it to sell. 

Dad and Allen (Ryan's step-dad) during a dinner at our Marion house. I am so grateful that my parents and all my in-laws got/get along so well. It's always been fun to mix the families for events. 

Giving me a boost to rub Lincoln's nose on a family vacation. (Ryan and I revisited this site just a few years ago! I could reach the nose on my own by then.)

I took this many years ago and it remains one of my favorite pictures of him.

The night we sold the old green van. My mom HATED this van. It was true vintage. It had zero seats in the back and had carpet everywhere - even on the walls. This was the vehicle my dad drove Mom to the hospital in when I was born - in case I was born on the way. A few years later, Mom bought a bumper sticker that said, "Answer my wife's prayers...steal this van" and slapped it on the back. After that, if Dad had to leave it parked anywhere for a length of time, he'd ask the police department to keep an eye on it. LOL! Amazingly enough, someone actually paid money to take it off our hands!

Super vintage Dad. Like...almost 90 years ago.

And...just a few weeks ago at family vacation!

You know I love a good recreated photo!

Dad and one of his best friends, Mr. Frakes, cleaning up a tree that fell in my yard when I lived in Marion. Those two cleaned up a lotta trees over the years. 

Dad has always been a huge champion of his children and their husbands. He has been a great encourager to Ryan in all the wok he has ever done. This was the night Dad and Mom came to see Ryan's Love INC office. 

Hee hee hee.

At my baptism.

With Ryan during my final Mid-Morning.

Headed to Kansas to meet the newest great-grandbaby.

With Mom at her surprise party when she turned 80!

With us at their favorite restaurant!

This is from my niece's wedding a few years ago.

With the other granddog - Murphy. Murphy is SO CHILL compared to Lexi. LOL! (Of course, he is also significantly older.)

Helping stuff bags of puppy chow for Cassie's wedding.

He's still pastoring a church - even at 90!

Pretty sure no one stopped asking - hence the reason he is still pastoring a church at 90!

YEARS before we knew about pandemics and masks, Dad came down with a cold on Christmas, so we were trendsetters.

He loves her so.

More vintage Dad and Bekah.

Just before we walked down the aisle.

At my 40th surprise party. Everyone gets a surprise party!

And at our wedding! Almost 10 years ago now. 

Love you, Dad! Happiest of birthdays!!

Ryan, Bekah, Braeya Jo, and Lexi Grae