My Father

I wanted to do a post about my father, back when it was Father's Day, but I have been so very busy this past month. I wanted to add a scrap page or two about my father and I hadn't had the time to complete the pages until now.

My father was a very important person in my life. I think I always was a "Daddy's Girl". When I was young I would follow him around, sit as absolutely close to him as I could get, and dance with him while standing on the tops of his shoes. I liked to climb into the back of his T-shirt and hold on real tight while he tried to move around fast and dislodge me. As I got older I began helping him in the vegetable and flower gardens or work in the orchard. I so admired his ability to do anything and everything. As a teen he would pick my friends and me up from school and take us to the drive-in for sodas and fries. I ran track for awhile and he helped me train for that.

I have many wonderful memories of my Daddy. He is in Heaven now, with our Father. I miss him a lot. I often wonder what he'd be like if he were still here. I wonder if I said "I love you" enough, gave enough hugs, or squeezed his hand enough times. I can close my eyes and picture him just like he was: that loving, charming smile he gave so freely, those eyes that seemed to light up that handsome face, and that spark he had when he laughed. When I think about him my memory goes back to a time when I was a young teen and all giggles, rather than an adult with more serious issues. Daddy was happy then, at least by my perspective.

I was 25 when Momma went to Heaven. I was 34 when Daddy arrived there. That is quite simply too young to lose ones parents. We need them far into our adult lives, whether or not we are willing to admit it. Cherish your time with your parents. It ends far too quickly.