A Sad Day

Today is the one year anniversary of my father's death. It's hard to believe it's been a whole year without him, but it also seems like forever. The picture above is my favorite picture of him. He did a lot of the cooking. My father was a very special person. He was a very soft-spoken, gentle, humble man. I never heard him raise his voice or saw him raise his hand against anyone. He was very quiet and lived for his Lord and his family. My childhood was during the 50's and early 60's. It was a very wonderful time to grow up in. We were the typical Leave It to Beaver family. Daddy went to work, and Mom stayed home and took care of us. I have one brother and one sister. We NEVER heard our parents argue, because they never did! We were good children, so we were rarely punished. It was just happiness all the time! And after we were grown and moved out on our own, my parents were still there for us. All his life, my dad had many medical problems - heart condition, mini-strokes, colon problems - just to name a few. So Mom spent most of her adult life worrying about him. He never complained and always had a positive attitude. He and I would meet every few months - just the 2 of us- and go out to lunch together. I am so thankful for the memories of those lunches. Although my dad was very quiet, my mom and I were and are not. lol So when we all 3 got together, Mom and I would talk nonstop and Dad would sit in his recliner and listen to us. Every once in a while he might add a comment, but usually he didn't make a sound. So when just he and I went out together, we would talk and talk. That's when I really learned all about my dad! Mom always watched every bite he ate - she always wanted him to lose weight. So when I was little and he and I went out alone, he would get donuts and he would always say, "Don't tell your mom about this." It is a family joke now, he said that to all 3 of us children every time he did something he thought my mom would not approve of. lol He was very close to my son, Glenn. They were a lot alike. My dad loved all his grandchildren, but he was never the kind of person who would take them places unless he and my mom did together. But with Glenn, he was very different. They did many things together - just the 2 of them. They would go to the mall, McDonald's, movies, ballgames, etc. They talked a lot. When the officers told me that my son had been killed, the first thing I said was, "I won't bury one person; I'll bury 3." My mom is also in bad health and was very close to both of my children. I didn't think either one of them would survive his death. After Glenn's death, my dad aged quickly. He started talking about being ready to go and be with Glenn. He was in the hospital 3 times after Glenn's death. He had always been such a fighter and always amazed doctors because he would be at death's door and would come back and go home. But the last time he was in the hospital, we knew he wasn't fighting anymore. He died peacefully in his sleep 10 months after Glenn's death. I miss him! But I know that he and Glenn are together and I will see them both again some day!