Celebrating Jeffy on Father’s Day + A Gift Guide

I love my family so much. I know a lot of college graduates who moved home after college, jumped through hoops to move out of their parents house so they could get their own apartment. This is my third year after college graduation and I am still living with my parents, but at the same time I am not trying that hard to move out either. My family is the world to me. I was blessed to grow up in such a supporting and loving family. I am taking this new phase in my life, being an adult living with my parents, as this opportunity to get to know my parents better as people.. For years our parents drove us places, made a home for us and did a million things on the side for me to grow up as a happy child with everything I ever wanted.

When I was a little kid, I never really understood the significance of Father’s Day. I would get a card, a gift and we would do a family breakfast before heading to the beach. When someone is in your daily life everyday, I think we don’t realize how much they do for us. When I went away for college, I would call or text my dad when I needed someone to listen. He would always respond with something corny or a classic dad quote. I called him crying one day because I got a B+ as a final grade in my Management course, and he told me that “a B is for beautiful like me”. I was sobbing, but had to cry because it was so corny. He never cared about the grades I got because he knew the pressure I put on myself. He wanted to know how much fun I was having in college and tease me for being in the library insisting I go out and have fun.

When I moved back home after college, my family and I went through a rough few months dealing with my dads health. There were days we had to rush him to the hospital and there were times I was hyperventilating on the hospital floor afraid he wasn’t coming home. My dad was hooked up to wires after heart surgery trying to make me feel better when I should have been the one reassuring him that. My dad always puts the needs of others before his own. While he was on bed rest in the hospital after his stroke, I remember climbing into bed with him and my mom had to pry me off when the nurses had to do his checkup. I never took my dad for granted, but when I saw my dad sick I realized I needed to show him more how much he means to me. He is the strongest guy I know with the biggest heart. Always willing to help out and always giving me money before I walk out the door in case I need it. We still walk together and hold hands even though I am all grown up. That is one thing that will never change between us.

The funny thing is that we bicker a lot when we are doing projects together because we have the same exact personality. The bickering quickly turns into us laughing I promise! I get my reckless driving and parallel parking skills from him along with his sense of humor. I am my father’s daughter in every way!

I made a goal to tell my dad everyday how much I appreciate him by saying good night before I go up to bed or putting his shoes away. It is the little things that show someone how much we really care. However, you cannot just say you love your dad on Father’s Day and show up empty handed. So I put together a little Father’s Day gift guide to inspire you to run to Target and grab a card as well as get a little something that dads need.