Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to all the great fathers out there. I have written lately about what a terrific father Scott is. I love seeing him and Sierra together. He has also been a great step father to my 3 sons. I am so lucky to have him as a husband and the father of our sweet little girl. She wished him a "Happy Dada's Day" the first thing this morning. All day yesterday we practiced "Happy Father's Day" but she said her own thing this morning. How cute!!!!
This day always makes me think of my own father. I was lucky to have one of the most amazing men for a father. He was ahead of his time. As a child growing up in the 60's and 70s I have many memories of my father helping out around the house. He helped with the cleaning, taking care of us, and he loved to cook. He was always involved and was a Boy Scout leader for many years. He instilled in me a love of nature which is still a part of who I am. Whenever one of my older boys calls me and says, Mom did you see the rainbow?, or Mom did you notice the beautiful sunset?, it reminds me of him. Even though they were young when he died, what he instilled in me is a part of my children. It reflects back into my eyes as apart of him. I see so much of my father in my children. And even though he has not met her, I will see my father reflected back to me through Sierra.
He also had a great sense of family and a love of God. He was one of 11 children born to my grandparents. My grandfather was a minister and a painter, and my grandmother was a painter also. My father was always very close to his siblings. Towards the end when my father was barely recognizing even me, I witnessed him breaking into a huge smile when the sister, who was closet in age to him, entered his hospital room and whispered hello in his ear. He knew who she was. They all had an incredible bond with each other. While my older children were growing up, after my father had died, we lived next door to my uncle, my father's brother. I felt blessed to have him so close to my boys growing up.
My father died way too young, a early victim of Parkinson's disease and early onset dementia. I miss him terribly and think of him often. I carry with me his life lessons and I know they have made me a better person!!!!!