Father's Day

Father's Day is tricky for me.

There are lots of people to remember as I have had a few men in my life who have been a father to me.  

The one who never tried to take the place of my real dad but taught me everything I know today is my grandfather.  From him I learned there is no substitute for hard work.  He was practical, witty, and always there for his children and grandchildren. Also, he taught me how important it is to make your bed every morning.  To this day, I make my bed every single morning as I wonder how he's doing up there in heaven.  Friday night he visited me in my dreams and I woke up trying to remember what he had said.  I couldn't bring back his words but it didn't matter when I realized that day was his birthday.  He would have been 100 years old.  Happy Birthday, Big Guy.

Brigadier General in the Army but I just knew him as Boomps.

The one who snuggled me for the first time and teaches me to follow my gypsy soul is my dad.  I may not have had a lot of time with him as a young girl but he showed me the world when he could.  Especially Tower Bridge in England.  We walked that sucker three times in one day.  He must've lost his keys but I will never forget Tower Bridge, Wales, or London.  Or how hard I cried on that long flight back home.  It was hard leaving my dad but I knew he would plan for another adventure with us as soon as possible. 

 Thank God for gypsy souls because that cowlick sure wasn't taking me anywhere pretty. 

 

Dad and Chris otherwise known as Pop-Pop and Mimi

The one who shares his wisdom and patience with me is my stepfather, Steve.  If angels live on earth, my mom found him and brought him to us.  She's a smart cookie that way.

 Colonel in the Army just back from a deployment to Saudi Arabia  My mom is so thin here because she couldn't eat much while he was gone.  And he was gone for ten months. 

The one I wanted to be just like when I was little is my uncle Jimmy.  He also taught me how to take a joke, make one, and always consider your audience.  I still try to be like him but like to think I dress better now.

 

The one I followed around like a pesky duckling and stole money from his underwear drawer is my brother, Eric.  He made sure I lived through my teenage years and locked me out of our house when I snuck out to run around Georgetown in my pajamas.  I always thought it was my grandfather.  Same difference.  They both had an impossible job to do getting me out of my own way.

 

 

 Eric never smoked or wore garbage bags on his head.  He did, however, make that face a lot. 

And finally, the one I get to live with and enjoy as a dad to our children is my husband.  The man who knows this Daddy business is hard work but loves it anyway.  He is making cherry pie from scratch downstairs with the two little gremlins right now as I type so he might be breaking out into hives. I shall go save him.  After all, it is Father's Day.

Happy Father's Day to all of you out there who celebrate this day with happiness, tears, or maybe even a cowboy hat from the Dollar Store.  Good job, Fellas.  We need more like you out there.

 xoxoxo

 OSMA