It has been a year..

It has been a year since we as a family spent any time with my Dad. A year ago, my dad came to our house to meet his grandaughter for the very first time. He watched both boys play soccer, watched Kyle play flag football (oh how he would've loved to have seen Kyle play this year), he played catch with the boys, and he held and fed his baby grandaughter. While I saw him pass away and said good-bye, there are many times when I realize that part of me thinks he is still at his house sitting in his chair. We could call him and go visit. Then it hits you, he is really gone.

Kyle will most likely be the only one to really remember him. My Dad had lots of faults, but he loved his grand children. While they didn't see him terribly frequently and then only for short visits, he made those few hours count and that endeared him to them (or atleast to the boys).

I feel blessed in many ways. My Dad was always the type to hug you, touch you, and even kiss you on the cheek, but he wasn't demonstrative in his words. You wouldn't hear him say he was proud of you or that he loved you. You knew, though, by the smile on his face when he saw you that he loved you. You knew by the way he bragged to everyone that every good trait we had came from his genetic pool that he was proud.

I am blessed too because unlike my siblings, I got an opportunity to say good-bye (in as much as my Dad would allow). Because of a vacation that he was adament that we take even though he was in the hospital (he didn't want his grandkids to miss this trip they had been telling him about), we had a talk before we left on the trip. That night as I cried because I felt so bad leaving when he was facing the real possibility of death, he hugged me and with words rarely said, told me that, of course, he loved me. He looked me in the eye and told me none of what happened to him was my fault, there was nothing I could do about it, and that my priority was his grandchildren and that is where he wanted me to be. He knew from my tears and my words how deeply I loved him.

I miss you Dad! I want to call you to tell you that Kyle had a great football season! I wanted to tell you that Conner has learned how to read. I would like to tell you that Callie is walking, talking, and exerting her sassy little personality everywhere she goes. I'd like to tell you that she has a little of you in her because she doesn't seem to know a stranger. I am pretty sure you'd claim loudly that she got all of her good looks and great personality from you!!!!

Here are a few pictures from that wonderful day last October...

I miss you.....