"Today's My Birthday,"

Said Farmer Brown.

Every birthday that I can remember, my dad said that to me. And to my brother and sister and mother. Basically if it was your birthday and he knew it, you heard "Today's my birthday," said Farmer Brown. I don't know where it came from. I just know that even now, still, hearing him say that on my birthday is the equivalent of hearing I love you.

Today is his birthday. And I can't help, living an hour away from him, thinking of how very thankful I am for all the ways he is who he is and all the ways he has formed me into who I am.

Shall I count some of those ways. Yes, I think it appropriate.

:: that face he gets when he is trying to trick people that is more genetic than we thought,
Simon's got it too ::

:: the way he loves the land he lives on and with ::

:: our regular walks up and down WV hills ::

:: picking me up after afterschool activities ::

:: the way he sighs that is more genetic than I like to admit
(yes, I might be afflicted) ::

:: walking, or riding, or working while talking about those 

things we don't like to look at others and talk about ::

:: story-telling ::

:: really loud television watching ::

:: needing plenty of time to think about things ::

:: ultimate comfort ::

Dad: 
"Today's my birthday," said Farmer Brown.