Remembering Dad: Love is Alive!

Hi, friends. It's been a while since I posted, and I just couldn't let today pass without sharing a special remembrance of my Dad. This COULD be a sad post, but it won't be!

Today is the first day we celebrate Dad's birthday without him. He would have been 94! Wow! How many of us would like to make THAT age?

For the last few years of his life, Dad started to "slip." He developed dementia, BUT he knew who his family was until the end in February. How blessed we were in that! And my Mom was a real trooper to live and care for him at home into their 71st year of marriage. Another rare occurrence! Mom was heroic taking care of the day-to-day challenges of old age and dementia. And as you might guess, she's well into her golden years, too. I'm so proud of her, too!

I love this photo of Dad and me, which was one of the last ones we had together. It wasn't often that we paused for a quick selfie, but I'm so glad we did. I'd like to encourage each one of you to do the same - while you have the time! Pictures and other memorabilia can bring such comfort. Seeing Dad's smiling face does that for me!

Well, I told you this wouldn't be a sad post, and it won't be. Let me tell you a few other things about Dad:

He used to sing to me and play the guitar. I still remember him serenading me with "Mockingbird Hill." Later, I got the music bug and learned to play the piano. It was great "therapy" through my high school years and beyond. Thanks, Dad!

Through the years, no matter how exhausted he was from work, Dad made time for us and told us he loved us. I always felt loved - no matter what. I can say the same of Mom. Perhaps that's why I have such a strong sense of love today. My parents loved each other - and they loved my brother and me, too! Thanks, Mom and Dad!

Play time: I will always remember learning to play Canasta, Pinochle, Monopoly, and our homemade "marble game." Think of the modern day "Sorry" game. It was like that.

When I turned 30 years old, I gave Mom and Dad a couple of presents, just to show my gratitude for the wonderful life I'd had up to then - and to remind them that their "baby" was now 30 years old - and THEY were SO old!! [snicker] Never mind that I'm older now than they were then!!! Yikes! Anyway, I gave Dad a coffee mug. He used that mug every day until he died! Never mind the chips and breaks. He'd patch it up and keep it handy! I'm sure Dad recognized all the little sayings on the cup, which is why I gave it to him. How many of us joke about the things we hear as children - especially the infamous "walking uphill to school - both ways". That one's on the mug somewhere!! Here's Dad using his cup - and a couple of close-ups with the sayings on it. Be sure to scroll to see all three shots.

In his latter years, Dad settled into retirement, and he liked to try his hand at gardening. Here he is in his backyard with his beloved tomatoes. A grocery man for most of his life,

Dad never did food halfway. He had more tomatoes than the

whole neighborhood could use! Too bad he couldn't overcome the birds and squirrels who LOVED to eat his blueberries and apples! He never could manage to harvest many despite his best efforts. Oh, well. He did his best. Nature will be nature, and I'm sure many little critters lived their best lives from his efforts! While I have dabbled in gardening over the years, I can't say that I've been too good at it thus far.

Over the years, Mom and Dad gave me a love for one of my greatest assets today: creativity! From crochet to leather working, to painting, to making handmade cards, I love it all! The creative life is for me. When I became an independent demonstrator for Stampin' Up!, I started making lots of cards. Mom and Dad have been the recipient many times. Every time Dad got one, he stashed it away in a drawer. Now I have them back! One he particularly loved was one I gave him to commemorate Veterans' Day and thank him for his service. That card contained an original poem that I will be debuting this fall for Veterans' Day. I'll let you know when it goes up on my Etsy store. Maybe you have a special veteran you'd like to remember, and it would be my honor to be a part of that!

Thank you so much for coming along with me on this little journey of remembrance. I pray that each of you has a dad. . .and a mom. . .like I have! Or maybe you ARE a mom or dad who demonstrates their love every day. If not, it's not too late to start!

Until next time, may God bless and keep you! Keep love alive!