Fathers and daughters have special relationships. My father has 3 daughters- all very different and unique, and all who have been shaped because of a father’s love. My brother, the lone boy, has a special bond with my Dad, but that’s to be expected. The two of them had only each other to lean on when the 4 women of the house took over.

I have inherited many qualities from my Dad. I have his love of history, specifically American history, and love being his co-pilot in the quest for learning and experiencing America’s past. I also have been lucky enough to get his sense of direction and “Cop-Radar”- both of which have enabled some bad driving habits. (Oops.) I also have his stubbornness, and take things way too personally. The fact that we can both identify these two traits in each other has actually made our relationship even stronger.

But my favorite trait from my father that I believe all his children have is the ability to love unconditionally and empathize with others no matter the situation. My Dad is a small business owner, and in these tough economic times, he would rather reduce his own salary than fire employees. My parents have been married for almost 36 years, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a man more in love with his wife than my father is with my mom. They raised 4 children, and being one of them, I know that my parents had a lot to deal with, but my Dad has never made his children feel like they were anything less than unconditionally loved no matter the situation.

And all he’s ever asked for in return is that his kids are happy, healthy, and true to themselves. And maybe a family picture now and then. He is a kind, warm, intelligent, hard-working man, and I am so proud to be his daughter.

I love you, Papa. Happy Father’s Day to all!

My Dad and I driving the S.S. Great Britain

To read about a father-daughter relationship from the father’s point of view, click here: blog post by Jeff Fecke

I love having my birthday the same week as Mother’s Day. Since I’m the eldest of my parents’ children, I was the baby that first made my Mom a mother. Sorry to all those second, third, and fourth children (and beyond) but us eldest children are special. My Mom got to celebrate her first Mother’s Day just days after I was born. Having my birthday so close to Mother’s Day makes the event a bit more special- and a nice opportunity to celebrate togther.

Since we live in different states, Mother’s Day/Birthday weekend is an even better excuse to get in some quality Mother-Daughter time. This year, we’re going to Georgetown, South Carolina for a weekend of historic homes, gardens and maybe a bit of shopping. I’m excited. My Mom hasn’t been to visit me in South Carolina since March 2009 (we’ve seen each other for numerous family events over the past year, but it usually is me going home), and I’m excited to show her around while feeling a bit more knowledgeable about my new home state.

I feel so lucky to be my mother’s daughter. I feel like I’ve grown up with this amazing image of what women should be like: graceful, elegant, fun, silly, adventurous, caring, bossy, compassionate … My Mom embodies all these qualities and more. She taught her 3 daughters (and 1 son) to shoot for their dreams, and to never let the fear of failure deter us from striving for something better.

My Mom and her Daughters (May 2009)

My parents have raised 4 very different children. When most people hear about my siblings and what we each do for a living, it seems like we’re all kind of a hodge-podge of cool ideas and interesting concepts. But we are the children of great parents, who valued our differences and encouraged each of us to find our own paths.

My Mom continues to inspire me, and I hope that I will continue to evolve the way she has: always with an open mind, compassion for others, and a spirit of adventure leading me towards my goals.

Happy Mother’s Day to all!