My Padre: The Birthday Veteran.

Today, it's my Padre's birthday.

If you didn't know he's the greatest, you probably have never met him.

11 Fun Facts About My Dad

1. He's not my "biological father." A lot of people don't know that, because we look a lot alike. I hate the term "step-dad" because, as my Grandma Kitchens put it: there's no such thing.

He's my dad. The end.

2. One of my favorite memories is when Dad would put peanut butter and chocolate chips on toast and then melt it in the oven. I thought it was such a gooey mess and felt like a grown-up eating something so sugary.

3. My dad is a VETERAN from the Gulf War. With tanks. So yeah. He could beat you up.

4. No, but seriously. He's 5'5" and I've seen him take people down. Like my 6' cousin who thought he could show up his uncle Kevin. Said cousin was flat on his back in one second.

5. Because my dad was in the army, the smell I associate with him is shoe polish. I told him that once and he got kind of annoyed. But he doesn't realize that because of him, I like the smell of shoe polish.

6. My dad can cook and clean like nobody's business.

7. He looks like he's 25.

8. Scott and my padre get along really well. Every time we go visit, they seem to score tickets to some crazy sporting event together. I'm very happy about this.

9. This is my dad's favorite joke: "A pirate walked into a bar with a steering wheel on the front of his pants. The bartender said "what's with the wheel?"

The pirate replied: "ARG! It's drivin' me nuts!

He cannot help but laugh at this. Especially when my Uncle Ray tells it.

10. I have seen my dad eat CRAZY hot/spicy food. And I have never seen him sweat. This is another bonding factor him and Scott have.

11. He really lives a life of service. To his family, to his friends, to his neighbors.

Some call it "striving to be Christ-like." I call it my dad's personality.