Make it memorable.
Sunday, June 21, 2009 at 11:23AM First of all, a sincere Happy Father's Day to all dads out there! To Nathan, I love you and thank the heavens daily that you are the father of our children. To John (my father-in-law), so sorry your card and a small add-on package are still sitting here in my office! Hopefully the main package arrived in time, though. Thank you for being such a fabulous example of fatherhood. To my dad...
Here's a layout that just had to be made late last night:
Yes, it's totally simple. I think my dad would have appreciated that. ;) The pictures are from September of 1978 from somewhere called Boulder Cave (I have no idea where that is and no memory of this...just found these photos and that's what my dad had written on the back). The journaling reads:
I’m sitting here tonight, Dad, and it just hit me all of a sudden. The missing you. The wishing with all my heart that you were still alive. The sadness that my boys won’t know you and vice versa. It’s not that I don’t feel this way at other times as well. It’s just that tomorrow is Father’s Day, and I’ve been racking my brain trying to think of a Father’s Day memory. It’s horrible, but I can’t come up with one. I simply don’t remember celebrating Father’s Days growing up. Mostly, you were in the middle of cherry harvest and couldn’t take a day off. Also, I think, we tended to spend that day with Grandpa Baldoz when possible. Sigh. I can’t even remember a specific gift that I got you. Don’t get me wrong. I know we *did* celebrate. I just can’t remember. This bites. I’m sorry...sorry I didn’t make more of a point to do something memorable with you on Father’s Day. I know in my heart, though, that you understood and I’d like to hope that I made up for it at other times of the year when you weren’t in harvest. I also know, though, that it would have been impossible for me to adequately celebrate you and your role as a father. You rock. Man, I wish you were here so I could tell you that.
Yup, this second Father's Day without my dad is bittersweet. My public service announcement for the day, then...if you're celebrating Father's Day today...is to make today memorable. Trust me on this one. My own boys have a day of miniature golf planned for Nathan. It's become a tradition...they've gone at least the last few Father's Days. While it's not a grand hoopla or anything, it's something I know they'll all remember. And, for that, I am thankful.
Reader Comments (4)
Big hugs, my friend.
Wow. Very touching layout. My father is alive, but has chosen recently to no longer be a part of my life since he divorced my mother. It's so very hard on days like today especially. Thanks for sharing your feelings.
Well this has me totally bawling. My fater is not long for this earth. I try not to think of the fact that this may be his last father's day. I live 600 miles away from him and now I am wishing I would have made the effort to go and see him. I think now I will make the plans. It's something that needs to be done. thanks for the reminder.
Boulder Cave is up on Chinook Pass. I remember going there with my Dad when Nathan was a baby. At least I think I remember that! He's been gone 25 years as of July 5. I still miss him. Thanks for the reminder of how important Dads are!