Thinking about my dad…

 

 It’s hard to believe that my dad has been gone for 18 years. So many of my memories of him are as clear as if they happened yesterday. Let me tell you just a little bit about what a great man he was. He was a quiet man, but when he did speak what he said was either profoundly wise, hilariously funny or he wanted to talk about you. He was extremely humble. He would graciously accept a compliment but almost always try to give the credit to someone else. He proudly served his country through several tours in Europe as well as all over this country. He was a sergeant in the Army Air Force, the 236th. And at the time of his honorable discharge, he had earned over 5 medals. He was the king of puns. You couldn’t out “corny” him if you tried. He was a fabulous cook. He would collect the best recipes from around the world and modify them to be even more spectacular than the original. He had a great connection with nature and the outdoors, a love that both of my parents thankfully passed down to me. I grew up camping and hiking with my family and my dad’s unique observations of nature always fascinated me. He loved to laugh and did so often, though quietly. His sneeze however, could be heard through several zip codes. He was the most forgiving man I’ve ever known and when he loved, he loved deeply and unconditionally. I’m thankful that though I only had my dad for 30 short years, I have a lifetime of treasured memories and life-lessons that I hope to pass on to my son. On that note, here are a few shots of our Father’s day with the new generation of dads. It was great spending the day with my husband's family. Also, I wanted to give a little shout out to the dads on my side of the family. The Nelson boys and Dave, the Krug boys and Mikey V... You guys are AWESOME! I know that someday, Gavin will want to share with others the many fantastic qualities that his dad possesses...... He’s a gentle giant, loving and kind, the kind of dad who attends every award’s ceremony and teacher conference. Yes he throws a ball now and then but he also takes the time to show an interest in Gavin’s life. He’s always anxious to hear about his day and even though he may be dead tired upon arriving home, he seems to musters up enough energy for a bike or scooter ride through the neighborhood. I’m proud to have married such an amazing man and stand out dad (having an amazing dad himself I'm sure had a lot to do with it. We're missing Gavino today too). 

     My beautiful sis-in-law  Baby number three, arriving soon.