Birthday in Heaven
Today would have been my father's 85th birthday. Unfortunately, he's been gone from us for almost 20 years. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't miss him. I told my nine year old today how much fun he and his grandfather would have had playing jokes on everyone and being ornery. They have a very similar personality in that respect and both my sons have my father's blue eyes.
My dad adored his grandchildren. My sisters' kids got the pleasure of knowing and loving him. They were teenagers and young adults when he passed. My girls......it's painful for me to even think about how close they were to him and at five and eight, when their beloved Pop Pop was just gone.....it took them years to get over it. My father kept them whenever they wanted to visit, picked them up from school, took them for treats, brought them donuts, loved them with a passion. My girls idolized him and he saw them each and every day.
My oldest son was just a year old when his pop died. Another grandson that my father was so thrilled to have! My father was right there when Brian David was born twelve weeks early, calm and steady, he was sure that all would turn out fine, even when my husband and I were terrified they wouldn't. My father would hold him and walk with him, showing him the ceiling fans that seemed to fascinate my little man so.
My father died of an aneurysm on July 6, 1994. He never got to see my youngest son, who is so very much like him. He never got to see his girls grow up to be women or his "dink" have two beautiful girls of her own. He never got to see his six great granddaughters or two great grandsons. He would have been so proud of how his family has grown.
I don't always talk about my dad, but I miss him every day. I dream of him and he's always smiling. I hear his laugh in my mind and I smile. I reminisce about the silly things he did that drove my mother crazy. I share memories of him with my sons. It's not enough, but it's all I have.
One day I will see him again, when I leave this world for the next. I will smell his English Leather cologne and see his bright blue eyes twinkle. I sometimes think that if I could just knock on the door of my childhood home that he would be sitting right there on the sofa, watching his console TV with Hogans Heroes or Gilligan's Island on. It's true that you can't ever really go home again, but if I could, I know he would be there.
Happy Birthday, Daddy. I love you. You were always so much fun and I miss you. I hope there are celebrations in heaven and maybe John Wayne and Carroll O'Conner are helping you blow out your candles. Until we meet again....
My dad adored his grandchildren. My sisters' kids got the pleasure of knowing and loving him. They were teenagers and young adults when he passed. My girls......it's painful for me to even think about how close they were to him and at five and eight, when their beloved Pop Pop was just gone.....it took them years to get over it. My father kept them whenever they wanted to visit, picked them up from school, took them for treats, brought them donuts, loved them with a passion. My girls idolized him and he saw them each and every day.
My oldest son was just a year old when his pop died. Another grandson that my father was so thrilled to have! My father was right there when Brian David was born twelve weeks early, calm and steady, he was sure that all would turn out fine, even when my husband and I were terrified they wouldn't. My father would hold him and walk with him, showing him the ceiling fans that seemed to fascinate my little man so.
My father died of an aneurysm on July 6, 1994. He never got to see my youngest son, who is so very much like him. He never got to see his girls grow up to be women or his "dink" have two beautiful girls of her own. He never got to see his six great granddaughters or two great grandsons. He would have been so proud of how his family has grown.
I don't always talk about my dad, but I miss him every day. I dream of him and he's always smiling. I hear his laugh in my mind and I smile. I reminisce about the silly things he did that drove my mother crazy. I share memories of him with my sons. It's not enough, but it's all I have.
One day I will see him again, when I leave this world for the next. I will smell his English Leather cologne and see his bright blue eyes twinkle. I sometimes think that if I could just knock on the door of my childhood home that he would be sitting right there on the sofa, watching his console TV with Hogans Heroes or Gilligan's Island on. It's true that you can't ever really go home again, but if I could, I know he would be there.
Happy Birthday, Daddy. I love you. You were always so much fun and I miss you. I hope there are celebrations in heaven and maybe John Wayne and Carroll O'Conner are helping you blow out your candles. Until we meet again....
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