Happy Birtdhay, Dad!!!

Happy Birthday, Dad! Today, you would have been 100 years old!

It's hard to believe you've been gone almost twenty years. I remember our last conversation vividly. It was right after your birthday, and I was rocking TP to sleep. Your voice was frail, shaky - and I could sense your time was near. You asked how I liked being a mom, and I said I loved it. TP was only a little over a month old at the time. You asked if I ever sang to her the song you used to sing to me when I was a kid - one which you had made up especially for me. I told you that, of course, I always sang it to her and it always put her right to sleep. I could barely hear you as you started singing "She's my baby, baby girl", but I soon joined in with you. By the end of the song, we were both in tears. And I whispered "I love you, Dad". You said you loved me, too, in a choked up voice, and we said our goodbyes. That was our last conversation we ever had, as two weeks later, you went on to live with God, on the day before my 34th birthday.

Dad's goals towards the end of his life were very simple - he wanted to turn 80 and he wanted to make sure I was a mom. Once those goals were met, I am sure he thought his life was complete. Two weeks after that, he was gone.

I miss you, Dad. I could use one of your big bear hugs right now. How I wish you could have met my kids - you would have loved them and protected them. I know exactly what you'd be saying right now about the situation with TP - and I would probably have to refrain you from saying and doing a few things.

I was your baby, your little girl, and your eyes would dance with laughter and love when you'd see me coming rushing into your arms when I saw you walking down the sidewalk to come home from work. I would snuggle in your arms as a little one, while you sang "your" song to me (a little off-key), and I felt so loved and so protected and so safe. As I grew older, I knew that you would always watch over me. There were several boyfriends I had which you hated and I couldn't quite figure out why - but your wisdom eventually became evident to me as they began to show their true colors. But there was one whom you liked instantly. You respected him, too. You knew he loved me, and you knew he would never hurt me. You knew that he would be a good provider and that he would never turn me against my family. The two of you shared a special bond, and you would joke around all the time. I loved watching the two of you together - and sometimes, you would even gang up on me and tease me to no end. When he asked you for my hand in marriage, he got down on his bended knee to do so - and that touched you so much. Without hesitation, you said "yes". You would be so happy to know that the young man I married almost 33 years ago is still my husband to this day. You would be glad to know that he has never let me down, he has been a wonderful husband, he has been a great dad who has sacrificed his time and energy for his kids to be a good provider without expecting anything in return (a little appreciation would be nice, sometimes!), and that he loves his girls as much as you loved yours.

So, Dad, even though I am still a little sad today over the more recent events in my family, I can still think of you with a smile on my face and gratitude in my heart that God chose you to be my earthly father. Thanks for all you did for me. I love you.