I'm sitting in the hospital watching my dad sleep. Well, I'm actually looking up every few seconds to see if he's sleeping while I type on my phone.

At about 9pm Wednesday I got a text from my brother that dad was in the hospital. I told Melissa I was headed out and drove the 15 minutes to Florida Hospital in Apopka. He had been taken to the emergency room after experiencing some chest pain.

The doctors don't seem to think he had a heart attack, but they're keeping him overnight for some tests. I'm upset that he's in pain, but feel pretty confident that he'll be discharged in the morning.

To pass my time I thought I would tell you, O beloved Internet, some of the things that are great about my dad.

• He has faith. In God, in me, way more than I have.
• He's big. Not fat, but like someone who used to do pro-wrestling big. If you ever felt like you needed defending, you know how nice it would be to have a dad his size.
• He's technically my step-dad, but I've never once felt like it. I could say this about his parents (my step-grandparents if you wanted to get technica) also. They love and accept me and my brothers recklessly. I'm pretty sure they got the raw end of the deal, but I am grateful for them.
• One time I stole some money and stuff from him in high-school. He "whipped" me severly, and then shaved my head. I haven't taken anything from anyone since. Looking back, I wonder if that experience lead me to my current relationship with God.
• He is awesomely hospitable. Any of my friends know this if they've been near my parents house. Offers of food and southern charm flow freely there.
• He cries, all the time. I've always been the sort of guy that cries at movies and stuff, and because my dad is big and sensitive I've never felt bad about it. Really, all I need to do is pray or thank him for something and he starts welling up. It sounds terrible as I write this, but it's fantastic.
• He knows how to get anywhere in Central Florida. Only recently with my gps enabled iPhone have I stopped calling him for directions.
• He's quick to offer good advice, but only when asked. All to often I realize that I give advice to people when they really just want to talk through something. My dad is great because he knows how to listen.
• He's dependable. I have never, ever wondered where my dad was or been surprised by him forgetting something. Like a big elephant with a gotee.

As I sit here in this squeeky hospital chair listening to his roommate toss and turn, I'm reminded of how much I have to live up to with Melissa being pregnant. I'm not sure that I'll ever be 1/2 the dad that my dad is, but I'm really excited about trying, and I can't wait for him to be a grandpa (again).