Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Happy Birthday, Dad




I sure do miss you.

There are so many things that I think of, when I think of you.
Thought I'd blog about a few:

1. how you liked to talk about the weather
2. how you would have LOVED the politics surrounding this election. I miss hearing what your perspective would be on it all. Even though we often didn't agree.
3. how much you loved Mom. She is doing very well. Like we all knew she would. She misses you an amount that cannot be measured. Her heart is broken, but she carries you with her always.
4. your incredible memory. Ben has that same memory, "like a steel trap". So often Mom & I would say...."I wish Dad was here, he would know the answer".
5. you didn't like to small talk on the phone, so I would be certain to have something specific to talk with you about, so we would talk longer.
6. how well you worked with your hands. I can still picture you in the basement at your workbench, finishing up some wooden boots, or someone's name, or working in the garden. My kitchen table is in desperate need of finishing again. Wish you could be the one to do it, as you have before.
7. whenever there are some things I'd like to have done around the house, I would save some for you to do when you came to visit. You were always so very willing.
8. did I mention, how you liked to talk about the weather !?! :-)
9. when Mom was here to visit, we played cards with Ben. I missed a trick on purpose in Casino, so he could get it. I could just imagine you standing over at the counter, asking me why I did that. Goodness knows I wasn't allowed to win at cards....I had to earn it !
10. how you loved to be outside. I was telling the kids about the amount of time we would spend walking in fields or in a park when I was at home. I know that you & Mom must have spent countless hours enjoying God's creation.
11. how I consider you an artist. An artist can have many definitions. Yours is that you were able to create something out of a pile of dirt. Whether it be a road, or drainage on a farm, or the beginnings of a housing development where someone will call it home & raise their family.
12. your & Mom's generosity towards others. I see that growing in our Chloe. So much that you did, that I don't know about, or maybe no one really does. You didn't do it for glory of man, but rather for God's glory.
13. thanks for loving me the way you did.

2 comments:

Schallert Family said...

That was very touching. Brought tears to my eyes. He sounded like such a special dad. I liked the way you honored him. He obviously loved you very much too!

Alicia said...

What a beautiful collection of memories. Thinking of you- -