Dad

His full name is Walter John Lampi.  He is known to his siblings as "Pete".  This nickname is said to have come from when his mother called him "Sweety" and someone heard 'Petey".  He is officially named after his father, who was born in Perho Finland but moved to the United States in his teen years. 

My Dad is driven...Somewhere around the age of 37 my dad decided he wanted to learn how to play the piano so, he took lessons.  When it was piano lesson night my dad and about 4 to 5 of us girls would pile into the van and drive to the teachers house.  During the years that Dad took lessons we practiced our lessons more often because Dad would hear if we hadn't.  Once he got to a certain level and could play a certain song he discontinued lessons, I don't think he's touched a piano since that day.

My Dad is an avid hunter....When my sister Lori and I were younger, our Dad participated in Hunter Safety class with us. It is quite common now when we get together as a family we will shoot skeet and target practice.  My dad is a hunter, I on the other hand am not; however I own a gun.

My Dad is intelligent...Years ago, when my Dad learned that he would be going to Finland and would be preaching there (he is a Pastor amongst other things) he taught himself how to read, speak, and understand the Finnish language.

My dad teaches... He taught me how to drive a stick shift by driving his vehicle out into the forest, switching seats with me and telling me to "drive home." :)  With an explanation of how to lift the clutch and press the gas to get going, we eventually made it home.  However I still wonder to this day if he didn't have a massive headache by the time we got home because for the next two weeks I "bunny hopped" with the vehicle to and from work.  I can drive the most difficult of difficult stick shifts now.

My dad is intuitive...I started college with a double major in Business Administration and Law.  I wasn't so interested in the Accounting part of business and wasn't so sure that I wanted to be a Lawyer after all.  On a side note, my Dad has a voice disorder and has gone through countless hours of voice therapy both with a therapist and on his own.  One day, my dad suggested to me to take a class in the Speech Therapy field because he saw that my personality was similar to that of his voice therapists.  Needless to say I heeded his advice, got my Master's Degree in Communication Disorders and still work within the field of Speech and Language Pathology even though voice disorders are not my specialty.  

My Dad is a life long learner.... Most recently my dad graduated a the age of 62 with a Master's of Divinity.  This is in addition to his other degrees in Engineering and Theology.  Not only is he learned at an academic level he often learns about himself.   Often the longest journey anyone can take is a trip within themselves.  I respect this greatly of my Dad.

I got my nose and dry sense of humor from my Dad.  He likes black liquorice pipes and introduced me to drinking Dr Pepper through a black liquorice straw.

Today is his birthday!  Happy Birthday DAD-  I love you!