My Daddy's Birthday

Today is My Daddy's Birthday!

He would be 72 today.

This is the third birthday he has spent in Heaven, and not with us.

I miss him every day!

He was my go to guy!

He always had all the answers!

To this day, I still have the urge to pick up the phone and call him with questions.

Even more so now that we are building the house.

Don't get me wrong, Flower Boy is my go to guy, now.  He does an amazing job, of providing and protecting, Drewman and I.

Actually, Flower Boy came into our lives shortly after My Daddy passed away.

That little voice inside me, tells me, My Daddy sent Flower Boy.

My Daddy was a father figure for both of my boys.

Daddy was our kid's go to guy, too.

They miss him, too.

We know Daddy is with us.  The kids carry on so many of his traits.

My Big Boy has a passion for cattle, gardening and yard work.

This is something Daddy taught him.

Daddy always had cattle.  As the Big Boy grew up, he showed cattle and won several trophies.

PaPa was always there, standing in the back ground, proud as a peacock.

 When the Big Boy was little, he and PaPa would till the soil, plant the garden and reap the harvest.

Both were so proud and shared their harvest with everyone.

The Big Boy now has a huge yard with lots of planting beds, full of flowers and plants.

Whenever we go there, I think of how proud PaPa would be at the pride the Big Boy puts into his yard.

Drewman carries on different traits from Daddy.

Drewman has chickens and has a niche for welding and cutting.

Daddy loved his chickens and was a welder by trade.

Some would say, My Daddy was the best welder around!

Drewman now has an egg business and is quite successful.

PaPa got Drewman started with the chickens, as he did the Big Boy with the cattle.

The welding and cutting is an easy one for you to see, as I have posted here several times of Drewman operating PaPa's equipment.

Daddy knew both my boys were different and had their own knack for things.

He made sure to hone in on each one of the boys, separately.

Now Our Girl, she is a different story!

PaPa loved her from the second he saw her!

The Big Boy and Our Girl started dating in college.  The first time The Big Boy brought her home, Daddy said "She's the one!"

He was always asking about her.  There was never a time he would say "How is The Big Boy doing?"  It was always "What are the kids up to?"

He was always so excited when she would cook for him.

She has a cheer about her, that always brought out the best in PaPa.

He claimed that Girl as his own!

Daddy died October 25, 2010 after a lifelong battle of a heart defect, he was born with.

This is also something he passed along to Drewman.

Thankfully, medical technology has progressed over the past 70 years, because Drewman's birth defect was corrected, when he was 7 months old.

My Daddy was a cowboy! 

He rode hard every day!

He never quit!

No matter how many times he would get bucked out of the saddle, he would always get back up, pull up his boots, strap his spurs a little tighter and climb back on.

Daddy's last few months were spent in the hospital.  During this time he underwent several surgeries and procedures, to prolong what he and I both knew was inevitable.

As Daddy would go into a procedure, I would always ask "Daddy, do you have your boots on?  Spurs strapped tight?"

There was a time when Daddy asked me to get on the horse with him and ride.

Sometimes, I would have the reins, others, Daddy would be in control.

The closer we got to the end of Daddy's journey, here on Earth, I realized, I had the boots and spurs on.

The day I had to say good bye to My Daddy was one of the roughest rides I have ever taken!

I didn't fall off the horse.  I chose to get off, hand God the reins and allow Him to lead My Daddy through Heaven's Gate.

At that very moment, I became aware of my Faith and Strength.

Each day, I am thankful for the things My Daddy passed along to me.

SPURS ON!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DADDY!

WE LOVE YOU!!!

RIDE HARD AND NEVER QUIT!