Happy Fathers Day to my dad. We grilled burgers on Fathers Day and ate with my parents. Here are some things I want you to know about my dad.......
He taught me how to have fun and to laugh----this one I could write about for days. Did you ever watch the Cosby show? Well, that would be a great way to describe my dad...he is a lot like Bill Cosby! Our home was always filled with laughter. My friends always wanted me to host the sleepovers mainly because my dad was so much fun to be around. He was constantly joking and pulling tricks on us. To this day, some of my friends will laugh about some of the crazy stunts he pulled...even when we were teenagers!
LOLHe taught me to put others before myself-----I can think of many examples where my father would put others before himself but one really sticks out in my mind. When I was a teenager my dad was offered a great position in his company...an advancement that meant more money and more opportunity to excel in his career but it also meant moving the family 4 hours away to Harrison, Ar. After all the plans were in place to move, my father gave up his career so we could stay in Kirby. He did this for my mom and for us girls. He knew that we didn't want to leave and he put our wants ahead of his. I didn't realize at the time what a sacrifice that was. He had a great office job with great pay and 18+ years experience and he gave all that up for his family. He knew that this choice meant that he not only lost the promotion, but would lose his job all together. He now works for the highway dept and sometimes, especially in the heat of the summer when I drive by and see him working so hard on the hot pavement, red faced and sweat pouring down his face, I think about all he gave up for us. When I think about the decision he made and look back on it, I never remember anything changing in our family. Although I know it had to bother my dad from time to time, he never let on like anything was different. His pay was cut in half and his work load was doubled but he always had a big smile on his face and something to laugh about.
He taught me respect.....from the time we girls learned to talk, we were taught to say "yes
Ma'am and no
Ma'am/yes sir and no sir" to everyone and address people by "Mr or Mrs". We never called anyone older than us by their first names. My dad was very serious about this and I thank him for teaching us how to respect others.
He taught me to see beyond the color of skin..... If there is one thing my dad does not tolerate, it is racism and prejudice. Of all the things that make my dad laugh, this is something that can wipe a smile off of his face...and fast. I am so thankful my dad taught up to look beyond the color of
someones skin.
He spent time with us girls....although I wasn't very good at sports, my dad spent countless hours with us girls practicing softball and basketball. He was not the type of dad to say "go play by yourself" or "go find something to do"...he was always playing with us. Even after working all day, he would come home and pick up a softball glove and bat and play for hours with us outside. We loved planning trips to the cabin because that meant that he would be swimming with us, throwing us in the air into the water or floating down the river with us on
inner tubes. It also meant that we could "drive" the old truck. I think about how
Reagon begs me to let her drive and how I rarely ever let her. It seems like it takes too much time to stop on our driveway, switch drivers, and let her drive down the driveway. That was not the case with my dad. As soon as we hit the dirt road on the way to the cabin...the truck stopped. Dad would slide over and Misti and I would take turns driving old
bessy. I also laugh when I think about how much time my dad spent with me on the hill next to the Daisy church.....he was teaching me how to drive a 5 speed and I would have to stop and start on the hill without rolling back.
He taught me how to enjoy life......it could be something as simple as a trip to the mall and my dad would make it fun. I remember so well a trip to the
Texarkana mall in April when Misti and I were teenagers. We were walking a little ahead of mom and dad and we heard some laughing. We turned around to find Dad dancing from one side of the mall to the other with the Easter Bunny. Mom was just shaking her head and Misti and I were dying of
embarrassment.
He sacrificed so us girls could have more....I know that times had to be hard when I was growing up but it never felt that way. My dad worked so hard and my mom stayed home to keep us girls so I know that money had to be tight on one income but we girls always had more than we could ever want. Every year our family saved and saved so we could take a vacation together. Looking back, the vacations were completely centered around us girls. Unless you think my parents really wanted to spend their weeks vacation in Disney World!
LOL We have hiked in the redwood national forest, been sprayed by whales at Marine world, rode along side dolphins in Florida, looked over into the grand canyon, ate breakfast in a old cafe in Carson City
Nevada, played in the beach at
Biloxi, drove across the
Mohave dessert, sat inside a shuttle simulator at the Kennedy space center, and many many more things they wanted us to experience growing up.
He was always involved in everything we did.....just like my mom, he was not a sideline dad. For as far back as I can remember, my dad was always the
tball coach or peewee basketball coach. I remember on more than one
occasion one of my friends telling me how lucky I was because my dad was always at my games...her dad never came to a single one. Even when I broke my dad's heart and became the
cheerleading captain instead of the basketball star, he sat on the bleachers with a big smile on his face and cheered for me as loud as anyone. My cartwheels may not have scored any winning points but he was still just as proud of me.
He is always helping others.....if you have a flat on the side of the highway, you better hope my dad drives by. It doesn't matter the situation or circumstance, he is going to stop and help. Even if he is running late..he will stop. Even if he is dressed up for church and doesn't need to get dirty..he will stop. Even if it looks like things are under control...he will stop to make sure. Even if there is a 18month old in the
carseat and you are on your way to
Branson...he will stop!
LOL I think this is why he is such a wonderful fireman and first responder. He has such a heartfelt desire to help others. Even in the worse situations, he is going to be right there, trying his best to make things better. I remember as a child, my mom rubbing an aloe plant on my dad's
severely burned hands and wrapping them up for him because he was fighting a fire and went in a burning building to make certain no one was inside. I think he has done this on numerous occasions.
He taught me the meaning of work....if there is one thing that bothers me, it is laziness. I get this from my dad. My dad is the hardest working man I know. From the time he gets up in the morning until the time his head hits the pillow, he is working and often times to help someone other than himself. It is not uncommon at all to find his yard in need of mowing because he has spent hours mowing someone
else's yard. Planning a church work day?...he'll be the first one there and the last one to leave. Planning a clean up day at the
cemetery?...there won't be too much to do because he will have already been working there hours before you get there. Planning a
ballfield clean up day?...it doesn't matter if he doesn't have kids playing anymore, he will be walking around picking up trash and raking with the rest of the parents.
He taught me the meaning of love...from the day each of us girls were born, my dad has been completely in love with us. When we were little, he always let us put barrettes in his hair or makeup on him, he was always riding us around on his back or shoulders, taking us on boat rides or teaching us how to knee board behind the boat, playing wrestling matches with us on the living room floor, letting us have every puppy or kitten we wanted, and being the best doctor you could ask for if we got sick. Mom had a weak stomach, so Dad was always in charge if we were sick. I can't tell you the number of times he has sat with me on the bathroom floor and held a washcloth to my face while I was sick. My dad is not the type of dad to never hug you or kiss you or tell you that he loves you. From my earliest memories of my dad, he was the most loving dad I could have ever asked for.
You would think that my dad has always had a great life. That has not always been the case. My dad was not shown the love of a father and I hurt for him because of this. I also think that because of the circumstances he grew up with, it made him an amazing dad to us. He went above and beyond what most fathers do.
My dad is everything and more that you could ever ask for in a father. These examples and the great memories I have shared with my father are everlasting and have positively influenced my life like no one else could have.
Oh and by the way...he is an absolute wizard with a tv remote!
One of his favorite things to do...."drive" the mower
Feeding the dogs with Daddy....his #1 favorite activity..what a country boy! LOL
Playing in mommy's office
Eating his scrambled eggs and turkey bacon
At Nanny and Poppi's house....
Wheeeee........
I know, It's not funny but I can't help but laugh at this pic!
New birthday fishing hat!
Jed playing in the river...yea, I know..don't remind me!
Bless his heart for wearing this little swimming suit! Yes, he is wearing pink swimming shoes..they are Sophie's shoes that she gave to Jed.
Taylor and Sophie relaxing in their boat
Reagon and DeShayla
Our favorite place at the cabin...on the top deck overlooking the river
Getting ready to swim
Papa with his four brothers-n-law and one son-n-law
Nana with her 4 sisters and one sister-n-law
On Sunday, he spent most of the time laying in his bed and watching cartoons. The hosptital staff had moved the bed over against the wall to make room for a crib. I laughed when they brought the crib to the room, knowing that there was no way in the world he would stay in it. He would have been like a caged monkey, trying to climb out the entire time. They took the crib back out and he did just fine in the big bed.
Does this look like a sick boy to you?? He was having fun changing the channels on the remote control.
Jed is still wide awake but Daddy is exhausted!
Josh needed to go back home on Monday to work the chicken house so Nanny stayed all day with us. Jed walked up to Nanny and said "Nanny, ride horse". It was so funny!
Jed feeding his little toy dog Oscar.
Looking at the birds outside his window
Watching cartoons with Daddy
Even while he was sick, he smiled most of the time in the hospital. All the nurses just loved him. They would walk in the room and he would just start chattering. When they would get ready to leave, he would say "bye" and blow them a kiss! He was so funny.
Thanks to everyone who prayed for Jed. We go back to the doctor tomorrow at 3pm and hopefully he will be 100% better. 
What, your kids don't ride dirtbikes in the house?? LOL
Jed loves riding with the girls!
That's not bruises on his belly....click on the pic for a larger picture...it's purple markers! He was drawing on the marker board before this picture.
