I asked my dad what he loved most about being a father on Father's Day

He said, 'It's not the milestones, it's the moments in between – like when you kids were little and thought I was the smartest person alive, and even though you're older now, you still call me for advice, which means you either still think I'm smart or you just feel sorry for me – either way, I'll take it.'

My dad's idea of retirement is not traveling the world, but finally having enough time to

finish the backyard deck he started 10 years ago

I tried to bake my dad a cake for Father's Day, but I accidentally used salt instead of sugar.

He took one bite, made a face like he'd swallowed a lemon, but then just smiled and said, 'You know, this is exactly what I wanted. A reminder of how much effort you put in.' And I realized he's been appreciating my 'best efforts' his whole life.

My dad's most consistent Sunday afternoon activity was falling asleep in his favorite recliner, often with a newspaper draped over his face.

I used to think he was just catching some Z's, but looking back, it was his quiet way of always being present, anchoring our home. He was our rock, even when he was napping.