Thanks-Christmas

That is what we had last week. Grandma came and brought our Christmas gifts with her. Well you know that the kids aren't going to wait till Christmas when grandma is here. So we sat down at one and had turkey dinner and then send Dad to work. When he got home just after eight the kids were soo ready to open all those big boxes. So Christmas began. The boys loved every little thing they got. J- who is almost 6, got a kids digital camera. I may be blind by 2007. He loves it and really is learning a lot. L, who has a birthday on Friday and will be 4, got a "Car's" movie, the playmat that goes with the movie and all the car's also. Yes you may say spolling happens here. Grandma's great for that. So then we got our gifts. A new entertainment center, a couple new games, and sign for our wall, and then the big tear jurker gifts. First I opened a book all about Dad. The talks from his service, mine and my brother's; and then letters from his friends and family. Talk about tears. They just would not stop. I could feel them coming but held it together, that is until I opened this
It is made from my Dad's pants. And on it is one of his T-shirts, and a hat logo.


....

Yep, you know what happened next. I had to put the kids to bed and then go be alone for an hour. It still smells like him, gas, grease, oil, all the things that I grew to know as his smell. Yes it is odd shaped, but it was meant to be like that. It also is 'dad'.

Just when I think that I have it under control, I'm reminded that I will always miss him. I will always cry when he is missing from special moments. That is just how it is, and I'm glad to know that I am not going to forget how I feel about him.

Two years and counting.

It's now been two years ago that my dad was taken from us. Some days it does not seem that long ago, but others it feels like forever. I always wanted dad to be proud of me, of the things that I did, and even now I crave to hear him say that I did a good job on something. I know it's silly and even childish, but none the less I want him to know that I learned so much from him and that it means a lot to me that he was such a good father. I had a good childhood and am greatful for my family. I was adopted into the best family that I could have ever dreamt for. So here on the celebration of my dad I just want to say-- thank you for loving me and caring enough to do everything you could to raise me into the strong person I am today.