Are you trying to ruin my life with that hat?!?

Share a story about the furthest you’ve ever traveled from home.

Freshman year of high school my choir went to London. I spent months fundraising. I am sure that my parents “donated” a sizeable sum in order for me and my father to go.

Let’s talk about my father for a second. He is super supportive and would give you the shirt off his back if you needed it. He is also the most hardworking person I know. I blame him for my need to be constantly busy. All through childhood he worked his full time day job. He also had a part time job delivering pizzas, was captain of the softball team, dartball team, and on church council. He read us adventure books…Sherlock Holmes, Lord of the Rings, the Hobbit….. every night. He’s amazing. He is also quite possibly the worst communicator I have ever met.

One day at youth group, all the girls decided they were all going to play on the softball team captained by none other than my dear sweet dad. I was not athletic nor competitive. I am also more likely to run away from the ball than try to catch it. I told everyone no I was not joining the softball team. So my dad picks us up from youth group and every one is yelling Paul! Paul! You have to make Laura join the softball team. My father being the stellar communicator he is says ” I don’t want her on my team!” To all my friends….YEARS of therapy later….I can confidently say that my father meant I am not going to make her play of she doesn’t want to play. But you better believe we all make fun of him for it every chance we can.

Moving on…my father decides to chaperone the choir trip and we all go to London. Given the volatility of our relationship, it is surprising that angsty teenage Laura was okay with this but I remember it being really great to have him along. We sang in cathedrals and took castle tours. Durring free time dad and I walked around London sometimes just the two of us. It was the closest I had ever felt to him. One of our excursions took us to Portabello road which brought me back to my childhood watching Bedknobs and Broomsticks….my father decided to buy this ridiculous hat and wore it everywhere after that day. I complained everytime he put it on. It was an amazing trip! Embarrassing hat and all.