Happy Birthday Mr Eldred (Dad)!!!

So yesterday everytime I wrote the day I was oh wow today is my dad's birthday. He would have been 83 years old.
I met Mr. Eldred when I was about 5 (he is my stepdad). He was my friend and my mom's too that nobody knew about. We would go to the park or a movie sometimes.
When my mom told me he was going to be my new dad...I quickly said "ok well can you make a baby so I can have a baby brother or sister". I had no idea the seriousness of the situation.
Don't get me wrong my dad was a good man. He worked hard to provide for his family so he was a busy engineer for Chrysler and provided me with anything and everything my mom wanted to get me. However, as we all now the material things are not what matter the most. I rarely saw him as he had to drive outside of Mexico City to his job in Puebla and often got home when I was already in bed. We went to parties and outings as a family but often I spent more of the weekends with my abuelita who really was my great grandmother.
I thought Mr. Eldred was the best dad in the world - he would chaperone field trips with my mom and make sure I had the best birthday parties at Skateway. As I got in junior high and high school I started to realize that Mr. Eldred was not the perfect dad. We grew distant as my mother became more ill and I realized his shortcomings; and I rebelled at the situation of my life and was no longer a sweet innocent girl but rather talked back and did my own thing.  What is a 13 year old to do when she has no parental authority at home and realizes her dad is not perfect?
As I repressed memories and just became involved in my life things were fine but we had a huge breakdown when I was 17. This was probably a period in my life where I strongly disliked Mr. Eldred but I stuck around because of my mom.
When I turned 19 things improved as my nephew joined our family. I saw the joy and love Mr. Eldred not only had for his grandson but his son, my brother Ken and his wife.
Then came my niece Laura and that sparkle was there again. Our relationship was still strained but it was beareable because of these two amazing individuals.
My mom became more ill and well let's just say that after she passed we had a real open conversation about some of my concerns about some of the people he chose to have around her. I think he finally realized I was no longer afraid of standing up to him and I had valid reasons to feel the way I did.
In 1994 a year after my mom's passing my beautiful niece joined our family and my dad found new happiness in another grandchild.
My dad was not the perfect dad but he was my dad. I know he loved his sons, his daughter in law, my mom and adored his grandchildren. I remember how he would tell me about how Spencer and Laura were doing when he would visit them in the desert and I didn't go along. My only regret is that my nieces and nephews probably don't hear to often about how he loved them and yes he had his shortcomings but he was a good man deep down inside but just had some personal issues.
He provided me with a home, good memories and I do love him.
So Mr. Eldred, Happy Birthday!!!