I can’t believe that a year has passed since dad’s death. So many things have happened and changed over the past year. Ken and I have found ourselves more than once wanting to pick up the telephone to share news with dad. Although we felt a brief sadness, knowing the excitement and pride dad would have shared quickly put a smile on our face. He just had that way about him.Throughout our travels, we have thought of him often...thinking of the joy he would find seeing new places and trying the local delicacies. We shared some of our favorite travel moments with mom and dad. So, as we saw impressive ruins or beautiful cathedrals on our trips, we could hear dad with us saying, “Awesome!” Mom and I laughed as we shared a crepe in Paris a couple of weeks ago knowing that dad would have wanted each of us to order our own so that we could share 3 different types…and he would have loved them so much that he would have gone back for more! We smiled thinking of him searching the streets of Brussels for a delicious waffle…daily…what joy he experienced in such simple pleasures!
As I went through picture files on my computer this morning of trips we took with him or family times we shared, a couple of things really struck me. First of all, I love the way he loved mom. The sparkle in his eye and the loving way he put his arm around her tells me how truly in love he was. The pictures also show how much he cherished his family. He exudes such pride whether holding his children or his grandchildren for the photo. The other thing that makes me smile is the sense of fun he had. In so many of the pictures, dad is wearing a funny face or is striking a silly pose….and he loved it! He loved to make us laugh, even if it was a bad “dad” joke. I couldn’t help but laugh again today viewing those captured moments. Feel free to take a trip down memory lane with me by clicking on the photo album link to the right. Hopefully, it can warm your heart as it did mine.
So although we miss him greatly, he stays constantly in our hearts…never too far away to put a smile on our face. We love you dad!
