Shoes

I love shoes.  In fact, I love shoes so much that the phrase "I love shoes" doesn't seem to really express the love and obsession I have.  My closet is full of beautiful shoes that I have purchased or have been given to me throughout the years.  Each is neatly displayed so that I can see every one of them when I open my closet door.  I am not sure when this love began but, of all the shoes I have had in my life, there are a few that just had special meaning to me. 

When I was 11 years old, we lived at 2416 South 7th Street in South Philly.  We lived fairly close to the stadium and I was a huge Phillies fan.  During home games, my Dad would let me and Guy climb up on the roof so that we could hear the cheering and watch the fireworks after they won.  The Phillies all wore burgundy Nike tennis shoes with a grey swoosh this year.  The shoe store on the corner proudly displayed these shoes in their window.  I wanted a pair of these shoes so bad.  I knew they were too expensive so I didn't ask for them.  My Dad has seen me admiring them in the window but I didn't realize that he had.  A couple of months after the first time I saw them, I was surprised with a box from my Dad.   Inside this precious box were the shoes that I longed for.  I had my "Phillies" shoes.  I have no idea how my Dad was able to get these shoes for me and I'm not sure if my parents even remember this but, it was so meaningful to me that I will never forget it.  Dad would go on to buy me 2 more pairs of shoes from this little shoe store including my very first pair of high heels.  Thank you, Daddy for paying such close attention to the little things in life.  Thank you for the great memory.  And ... thank you for the love and obsession with shoes!  :)

The Gamecocks

While keeping track of the game between the Gamecocks and the Gators (it was painful to see) I was reminded of a very important character trait my Dad taught us ... Loyalty.  My Dad drilled this into our heads and hearts from the time we were born until now.  He is a great example of this character trait.  If Dad has pledged his loyalty to you, you can count on it forever.  The Gamecocks are a perfect example of this loyalty.  Whether they are playing a great game or just handing the game to the other team, Dad's facebook will be full of his cheering on his team.  The same is true with us kids.  No matter how many times we hurt him or let him down, he is always in our corner, cheering us on.  I like to think I have this same loyalty and hope that I am passing on this valuable trait to my children as well.  Thank you, Dad and Go Gamecocks!

Let me introduce you ...

Many of you know Guy Jordan.  In this blog, I want to introduce you to My Dad.  Yes, they are the same man yet, at the same time they seem very different.  Many people know the rough, gruff, austere man but I know the gentle, loving, sentimental one.  When I was very young, my Dad had long hair and full beard (Yes, it was that long ago). Many thought he was rough and would never think of messing with him.  However, I didn't see it that way.  When Dad came home from a long day at work, he instantly became Prince Charming.  You see, I was his princess and he always came for tea.  Mom has a picture that shows Dad trying his best to fit in the little chair at my table while sipping imaginary tea.  When the world saw a tough businessman, I saw my Prince Charming.  The man who would teach me that I deserved to be treated like a princess.  The man who melted whenever I batted my big, brown eyes at him.  The man who set the bar extremely high for any man who dared to take his Princess away. This is the man that I am so proud to call ... My Dad.