I started thinking back today on memories that we had shared. My very first memory I have is when I was 4 years old. My brother was in the hospital because he had his tonsils taken out so my mom was with him. Daddy and I were eating out and the only thing I remember is that I had a chocolate shake and Daddy had a beer. I do remember where we were just can't remember the name of the place. I also don't remember what we ate but just what we had to drink.
There were numerous times that I went deer hunting with Daddy. Never shot anything and I don't think he ever shot very many deer either when I was with him. There was one time he shot a deer and he said we would tell every body I had shot it. It was in the hill country. So we get back to camp and Daddy starts telling everyone I shot this deer. So this being the "first" deer I had shot, a big deal was made of it. Including pictures taken, etc. Well me being the honest little Catholic girl I was--Mom was in the camp house by herself so I go in there and just start bawling my eyes out telling her I didn't shoot the deer. And she said she already knew that. (See mom's do know everything.) See I didn't know this--but it being a rather small deer Daddy wanted every one to think I shot it instead of him. Mom knew that and told me and I don't remember exactly what she said but I felt much better after talking to her. On a side note--as of this day--I still haven't shot a deer!
A lot of my memories of daddy are at deer camp because he so enjoyed going there. There was the first time Don went hunting in South Texas with us. It was in 1990--the same year we got married. Don shot a really nice buck and I don't know who was more excited about it--Don or Daddy. I just remember Daddy being so happy and excited that Don shot the deer.
And speaking of deer camp, when Daddy first started hunting--wives were not allowed opening weekend. Then after a few years, the wives could go but kids couldn't. And then we had Ashlie and Courtnie--and what do you know--they were allowed to go opening weekend. Never have figured that one out--how the kids were never allowed to go but the grandkids could. Well I do now--Daddy was just a "little" proud of those granddaughters and would take them any place he could.
Daddy also introduced me to one of my best friends. Jan's dad was running Hilltop (a beer joint) that my dad frequented quite often. When Jan moved here, her dad talked to my Dad about her and we met--yes at Hilltop. Now how many people do you know that their dad's introduce them to a person who will become their best friends at a beer joint? Not many that I know of!
Ashlie and Courtnie--where do I begin with them? Ashlie was barely a week old and Daddy called up one day and said pack your things I'm driving to Houston to pick you two up. So we did and Daddy came and picked us up and we went to La Grange and spent time with him and Mom. He did that quite often. When the girls got older he would come get them on his seven days off and watch them while Mom worked. Those girls meant the world to him and I sometimes had a hard time understanding why he spent so much time with them when he didn't with me when I was younger. And once again Mom said--it's because he was so young when he had us that he didn't really know what to do. Once the girls came along--he realized what he was missing out on and was, I guess sort of, trying to make up for lost time. I must be honest--it took me a while to come to grips with that and it probably didn't really happen until after Alan died.
As you may have noticed--I only talked about the girls and not our boys. Well unfortunately, very unfortunately--Daddy died before we had the boys. After Alan died--a lot of people said--he has your Daddy up there to take care of him. And at first--I didn't get any comfort from that because of the way I felt about him with me when I was younger. But in talking to my doctor--she said--think of how he was with your girls and how much time he spent with them. And after I thought about that for a while--I did come to realize that, yes Daddy was taking care of Alan and I didn't need to worry about Alan being alone. (A fear a lot of us mom's have when our babies die.)
Just this past weekend, Mom and I were talking about reincarnation and we honestly think Cayden is a reincarnation of Daddy. So many things he does or says or acts like, reminds us so much of Daddy it's like we still have him here with us. I know Daddy was proud of our girls and so happy that we had them but I can only imagine how much pride he would be bursting with the time he could spend with Cayden. I'm sure by now at 3 years old, that Cayden would already have shot his first deer!
So as I have gotten older, I have realized that Daddy was the best dad he could be to us with what he knew. He spent so much time with our girls that I could see what kind of dad he really wanted to be. I do miss my Daddy but I really miss him more for our kids. I just hate the thought of all the fun times and adventures they are missing out because he left us way too soon.
There were also three other special men in my life--my grandfathers and my father-in-law.
A special memory for each one--
Grandpa Zim--I remember any time he left the house, whether to got to work or to town or even just outside--he would kiss Granny Zim and say I love you hon.
Grandpa Schultz--All those times he took Steve, Cindy and myself to the laundromat. We would usually end up racing around in the carts they had their for the clothes and Grandpa would swear he would never take us again for the way we acted, but he always did.
Roy--he said one of the nicest things to me when we told them we were pregnant with Cayden and I never did tell him how much it meant to me. After we made our announcement--he said--So are you going to try for another boy? That made my heart swell so much realizing that he did think about Alan and had not forgotten about him. I guess he now knows how much it meant to me, I just wish I could have told him myself.
And I must conclude with the wonderful man I married--Don is such a wonderful father to our three kids we have here with us. They can ask him for the moon and he would give it to them if he could. And even though he doesn't talk about Alan much, I do know just my some of the things he has done, that he's never far from his mind either.
I feel so blessed to have had or have these men in my life. I am a better person for having met each one.
HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!!
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