One of my favorite pictures
We had numerous father/daughter trips to new resturants (we both shared a love for food), trips to Stone Mountain for the laser show, a Fleetwood Mac concert, and countless Braves Games. Each time, is wasn't about what we wree doing, but that we were doing it together. I know that I was blessed with a Dad who became my friend as I grew into an adult, and honestly I really miss my friend.
The hardest part about Daddy being gone is that I can no longer tell or show him how much I love him, I can't plan special trips, or even surprise him with a Key Lime pie. I have to be secure in the knowledge that he knew how much I adored him. I adore him still, but I still feel the urge and the need to do things for him that remind him of this, even though he is no longer to able to receive them. I have to settle now for things that will keep his memory alive, not just in me, but for everyone who knew him.
Here is my list of the things I love and cherish about you Daddy. These are not in an order of importance and I could have gone on...for a while. These are just a few of the thing that made me smile. I hope that I can give John, Ryan and Anna the same things. I love you!
Thank you
for:
1. Letting me have the last cinnamon roll at breakfast on Satruday mornings.
2. Making me chocolate milk with a peanut butter and jelly sandwhich (a habit I still can’t break).
3. Inventing the “toaster grilled cheese” because after working all night you were too exhausted to break out the pan, but could never tell us “no”.
4. Taking me to the park to ride my bike when the “playoffs” were on.
5. Letting me sit on your lap…at 29
6. Buying dipped cones from DQ for us with your last bit of “mad money”.
7. Dancing with me standing on your toes (even at 8 years old).
8. Carrying me to bed even though I was really too heavy to pick up.
9. Letting me steal the claussen pickle that came with your sandwich from the sub shop.
10. Looking at me like I was the most beautiful girl in the world.
11. Eating my cooking when I just started learning and telling me it was delicious.
12. Taking the training wheels off my bike even though you didn’t want to see me fall.
13. Butterfly kisses
14. Believing in me even when I didn’t
15. Teaching me to tie my shoe.
16. Showing me how to dunk an oreo cookie in milk.
17. Teaching me the finer points of T.V. shows like M.A.S.H., Chips, and WWF wrestling.
18. Watching me perform ridiculously silly dance routines to Whitney Houston and keeping a straight face.
19. Always getting me Powdered Donuts when I asked for them at the store.
20. Teaching me how to express myself by writing. Reading my childish stories and helping me make them better.
21. Giving me the courage to approach a Newspaper Editor at 13 and ask for a job, then taking me to celebrate when I did.
22. Letting me know that if I gave you “the look”, I would get ANYTHING out of you.
23. Teaching me how to love culinary delicacies like meatloaf, egg salald, and tuna fish sandwhiches.
24. Letting me squish the egg in the meatloaf mix.
25. Talking to me about life while you were shaving in the morning
26. Always holding me tight after a bad dream
27. Disciplining me when I needed it and teaching me to own my own mistakes.
28. Teaching me to ride the scariest roller coasters when I just barely met the height requirement, and making me feel like superwoman even though I probably ruptured your ear drums screaming.
29. Wheel barrow rides after we raked up all the leaves on the yard…well you raked most of them ;)
30. Never missing a school function even if it meant coming in your police uniform on your lunch break.
31. Pretending to eat Play-dough like 1000 times
32. Always asking me to ride as your “wing man” for errands.
33. Intimidating every boy I ever dated and letting them know they weren’t good enough for your little girl.
34. Wanting to see me all dressed up for every formal, even if you were at work…oh and showing me off like I was Miss America.
35. Giving me bear hugs and letting me cry when someone or something broke my heart.
36. Giving me a love for History.
37. Telling me stories of your youth
38. Loving my mother with your whole heart.
39. Always showing your emotions even when it meant crying in front of 200 people as we danced at my wedding.
40. Dressing up in camo with a super soaker and water balloon grenades for our water fight and chasing us for an hour.
41. Teaching me to do the ugly face.
42. The times you didn’t make me eat my vegetables (sorry Mom).
43. Taking me sailing
44. Showing me the meaning of integrity.
45. Teaching me to shoot a gun
46. Taking me to the “good spots” for Halloween candy
47. Putting sugar on my cheerios
48. Letting my kids get away with stuff I never could have pulled
49. Coaching Ryan’s t-ball team
50. Putting up with my 90’s grunge phase
51. Teaching me to pray
52. Letting Anna try to teach you to speak again
53. Fighting for time with us even when you wanted to give up
54. Showing me how to leave the world with dignity even when the stroke tried to strip you of it.
55. Showing and teaching me God’s love through your actions.
For my friends who have lost a parent, I encourage to to make your own list. It made me smile thinking about the things that made my Daddy unique. For my Friends who are still lucky enough to enjoy the health of both your parents, I encourage you to take a moment and make your own list, share it with your parent(s). You might be surprised at how much it means to them.
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