My Dad

Well, I'm going to try to make it through this post without crying into my keyboard. For those of you reading this that don't know me personally, I lost my father. We have only been home in California (from Ohio) for two days. My dad served 4 years in the Navy long before I was born and so he was honored with a military funeral. This picture makes me so proud. Not only for his service, but mostly for the wonderful man, father and grandfather he was. I couldn't have asked for a better dad. My husband told me on the night we got the call from my brother, that on our wedding day, my dad told him "I'm not losing a daughter, I'm gaining a son". Just the week before he died, he bought a new car and gave his old car away to his neighbor. He was by far the most generous person I know, and the hardest working man I will ever know. I feel like my safety net in the world is gone now, except for my husband of course. It just doesn't feel the same in the world for a daughter without her daddy. My dad always said that he was going to take us all on a Disney Cruise when all of his grandkids were old enough to remember it, but he never got the chance. It really makes me want to make as many special memories with the ones I love while I can.

This picture represents something I never thought possible. For my daughters to meet my last living grandparent- my dad's mom. She lives quite a way from my parent's house in Ohio, in Kentucky. Having them finally meet meant so much to me. Especially because my other grandma died before I was married and had kids.

This is my precious niece Rory. I miss her already, and I've only been gone 2 days! I feel like I'm her grandma instead of her aunt because I love her so much! I miss this stage with my kids and I could just follow her around all day, getting her to try to say silly things that sound so cute coming from a one year old who can't quite say them yet.

This picture was taken last June, when my parents were on their last visit here. My girls had recently discovered Star Wars, and while we only had one movie, my dad went out and bought the other 5 for them to watch together. I never imagined my GIRLS and my dad watching Star Wars together, but that's what they're doing in these pictures.

He would get so excited when they would snuggle him.

One phone call really does change your life. It will eventually happen to us all, probably more than once- the phone call no one wants to get. Give more hugs, longer kisses, more calls and visits and special memories, that's really all there is...time.