I have been blessed to be the oldest in a large family. For a long time we were all girls. My dad saw no difference in raising girls or raising boys so I went deer hunting at twelve, the only girl in junior high to get out of school for that when boys did it all the time. We all learned how to throw a spiral pass with a football so we wouldn’t throw like a girl. My dad always said we could do anything and be anything. No restrictions for being a girl or because we lived in a small town in rural Wisconsin. I was raised to believe that all things were possible. Daddy also said “If you see someone with something you would like to have remember that they either worked hard for it or paid a lot for it or both.” He was a generous man who expected alot but wouldn’t hesitate to give you the shirt off his back if he thought you needed it. I left home knowing I could always come back if I needed to and because of that, I never needed to. Knowing you could survive failure made striving not to fail easier. My sisters are strong, successful women who inspire me to write about strong heroines who do what has to be done to protect the people they love. Thanks Daddy!