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Daughter gives outstanding dad award
- By Contributor Submission
- Published 06/23/2008
- Letters to the Editor
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To the editor,
My name is Karissa Brandhagen and I have a Father’s day story to tell that means the world to me and my little sister. When I was three years old my dad decided to take a path that led him away from my mommy and me. Our world turned upside. I don’t know how my mom did it but she kept me safe and secure and told me everyday that my daddy loved me very much and someday he would realize all that he missed. That leads me to my story about my stepdad, Dan Dimick, my mom, Trina Dimick, my baby sister Courtney Dimick and myself.
My stepdad came into our lives when I was almost four and he took my mommy’s hand and mine and led us into a life with him for the next 13 years. My mom and stepdad go way back. They met when they were 13 and came together again when I was four and they were 25. They married February 14, 1998 and our lives together began.
As I grew older my mom noticed that my stepdad and I were very much alike. We are both left- handed. My mom says it is God’s way of letting us know that we belong together. We have had our moments and it has not always been good. I am strong-willed and like to do things my way. My dad is the same and expects respect and for all rules to be followed. Even though we have our differences my dad has sat through 15 dance recitals, made every birthday party and chaperoned my team dance fundraiser so I could go to Las Vegas and compete. There are days we don’t talk and days all we do is fight, but when I shed tears he has been there to wipe them away and let me know everything really will be OK. I love both my dads for what they each have to offer, it is what they have to give and in that I have a complete father figure to help guide me.
I was seven when my baby sister came into this world and I remember how my dad’s eyes lit up as he watched this baby girl grow and reach her own milestones. Sometimes I wondered if he looked at me that way but then I thanked God that my baby sister has her daddy and I watched as she grew into daddy’s girl and the bond that was formed was magic.
People would notice the special way they had with each other as he would listen to every word of a story that he would have to try and piece together in hopes that his reply would be one that let her know he understood. He said that he learned that trick from my mom as she would listen to me talk nonstop about whatever was on my mind. Now that my sister is older she comes to me and explains how dad is being mean because he won’t let her ride her bike in the rain or spend the night with friends with parents we don’t know. I give her a big hug and explain that daddy loves us and that’s why he makes choices to protect us and it seems mean but really it is love.
This past September my sister, Courtney Dimick, told her dance teacher Angela Ringer that she would like to do a Ballet solo and dedicate it to her daddy. Courtney completed that solo at a dance competition and made her daddy cry. She laughs as she tells people that was her goal because he says daddys don’t cry. If you were watching kids dance at Selah Community days then you may have seen my sister in a bright yellow ballet costume performing her dance to her daddy. She will perform again June 20 at 5 p.m. at the Capitol Theatre along with all of Broadway Bound Dance Academy’s dancers performing “Dancing in the Streets.”
Courtney is a very special daddy’s girl and I love to watch them play and giggle and have fun. She is the best baby sister and very talented in dance and vocals. I want to recognize my dad Dan Dimick and thank him for loving me when he did not have to and treating my sister like the princess that she is. I give my dad the outstanding dad award and we are blessed to have him in our lives and I thank God for sending him to love us.
Karissa Brandhagen-Dimick
Selah
My name is Karissa Brandhagen and I have a Father’s day story to tell that means the world to me and my little sister. When I was three years old my dad decided to take a path that led him away from my mommy and me. Our world turned upside. I don’t know how my mom did it but she kept me safe and secure and told me everyday that my daddy loved me very much and someday he would realize all that he missed. That leads me to my story about my stepdad, Dan Dimick, my mom, Trina Dimick, my baby sister Courtney Dimick and myself.
My stepdad came into our lives when I was almost four and he took my mommy’s hand and mine and led us into a life with him for the next 13 years. My mom and stepdad go way back. They met when they were 13 and came together again when I was four and they were 25. They married February 14, 1998 and our lives together began.
As I grew older my mom noticed that my stepdad and I were very much alike. We are both left- handed. My mom says it is God’s way of letting us know that we belong together. We have had our moments and it has not always been good. I am strong-willed and like to do things my way. My dad is the same and expects respect and for all rules to be followed. Even though we have our differences my dad has sat through 15 dance recitals, made every birthday party and chaperoned my team dance fundraiser so I could go to Las Vegas and compete. There are days we don’t talk and days all we do is fight, but when I shed tears he has been there to wipe them away and let me know everything really will be OK. I love both my dads for what they each have to offer, it is what they have to give and in that I have a complete father figure to help guide me.
I was seven when my baby sister came into this world and I remember how my dad’s eyes lit up as he watched this baby girl grow and reach her own milestones. Sometimes I wondered if he looked at me that way but then I thanked God that my baby sister has her daddy and I watched as she grew into daddy’s girl and the bond that was formed was magic.
People would notice the special way they had with each other as he would listen to every word of a story that he would have to try and piece together in hopes that his reply would be one that let her know he understood. He said that he learned that trick from my mom as she would listen to me talk nonstop about whatever was on my mind. Now that my sister is older she comes to me and explains how dad is being mean because he won’t let her ride her bike in the rain or spend the night with friends with parents we don’t know. I give her a big hug and explain that daddy loves us and that’s why he makes choices to protect us and it seems mean but really it is love.
This past September my sister, Courtney Dimick, told her dance teacher Angela Ringer that she would like to do a Ballet solo and dedicate it to her daddy. Courtney completed that solo at a dance competition and made her daddy cry. She laughs as she tells people that was her goal because he says daddys don’t cry. If you were watching kids dance at Selah Community days then you may have seen my sister in a bright yellow ballet costume performing her dance to her daddy. She will perform again June 20 at 5 p.m. at the Capitol Theatre along with all of Broadway Bound Dance Academy’s dancers performing “Dancing in the Streets.”
Courtney is a very special daddy’s girl and I love to watch them play and giggle and have fun. She is the best baby sister and very talented in dance and vocals. I want to recognize my dad Dan Dimick and thank him for loving me when he did not have to and treating my sister like the princess that she is. I give my dad the outstanding dad award and we are blessed to have him in our lives and I thank God for sending him to love us.
Karissa Brandhagen-Dimick
Selah