WARNING Sappy Post Ahead: Mi Papa

People say I am blessed for a number of reasons. I have an amazing job, better friends than anyone could ever ask for, and a killer rack. But in reality, the main reason why I wake up every morning and go to sleep every night so happy with the way my life is despite all the things that aren't perfect with it is because of my family.

Everyone knows that my sister is my best friend. I mean...I barely go an hour a day with a text or a phone call and I miss terribly our nightly bottles of wine and attempts to solve the worlds problems.

It's no secret that I love my grandparents. Nightly martini's while watching Fox News may not seem like every one's cup of tea...and I certainly believe Gretta Van Sustren is the ugliest person to ever hit the television screen...but that quality time is something I always cherish.

Seriously??

 And my mom...well...she's coming to visit next week so I'll save that barrel of fun for after she leaves.

But I wanted to take a moment and thank my Dad for everything he has done in my life. You can imagine what it's like growing up in a right wing Irish Catholic household with a grandfather who is a 2 STAR General (think Rambo with removable dentures) and a Dad who would disappear for weeks on end for "special missions" with the Government (think James Bond in a Red Sox hat). Talks of sending the youngest Doherty boy to West Point happened from an early age and yes, the idea of living with 10,000 strapping young guys did intrigue me but not for the reasons my father had hoped.

I was so scared to come out to them. Scared isn't even the word. I had such a fragile relationship with my dad growing up that all I wanted was for him to love me and the fear that the love would stop once I came out was the worst feeling in the entire world.

What you have to understand is that my father did/does/will do ANYTHING for me and my sister. He worked 60 hour weeks so that we could rent out the Discovery Zone for my 8th Birthday. In 27 years as a Police Office he has never called in sick ONCE and has taken 3 tours of duty to the Middle East and has never asked anything from anyone in return.

Needless to say that my coming out was not the heartbreaking Lifetime movie I thought it was...everyone was so OK with it because...I mean...my Christmas list from the ages of 3-10 included FAIRY WINGS on top hoping Santa Claus would deliver them to me...this wasn't a "surprise" by any means.

My dad just spent the weekend with me in Arizona and I was so fortunate to able to treat him 1/1000000 as good he treated me growing up. We went up to Sedona and chartered a helicopter and flew around the red rocks, stayed at the most amazing hotel I've ever seen and then outdid that amazing hotel by staying at an ever nicer one Sun night. Even if I couldn't afford to buy him a pizza, I know my dad is proud of what I am doing and who I have become and I can't help but thank him for that. He has taught me how to be a man, but more importantly he has shown me how to be a great man.

So to my father Sergeant Major Donald P. Doherty, aka Donnie aka Papa D aka Papa Glitter I just want to say THANK YOU and I love you and I will see you at Christmas!