Seventy-five years! Yep that's a long time; 3/4 of a Century and the number of years my Daddy celebrates this year- 75.
He served in the army (drafted). Was stationed in Korea for 3 years. Returned home, met and married Mother (46 years now). He made a surprise visit and proposed to her after the church Christmas Pageant. They were married a month later, after she graduated from college. He worked for the same company for 30+ years. Has three beautiful children, 2 awesome sons-in-law and 1 dandy daughter-in-law-to-be, 4 grand babies(1 married), 3 bonus grand kids and 3 great-grand babies. Whew, can you say blessed?
I'd like to say that there isn't a place Daddy hasn't been or seen. He even drove a group of Army buds to New Orleans for Mardi Gras. I love that story. :-) By the age of 75, Daddy has been to 3 countries and 42 states including Alaska and Hawaii. He's traveled by foot, car, plane, train, bus and boat. Once he even hitch hiked to the nearest town when our truck broke down on vacation. On his return he used the truckers cb radio to contact Mother. (My husband's favorite story.)
It's an understatement to say that he loves to travel. My favorite memories are our family vacations. We never traveled to the same place twice. Every summer he took 2 weeks off and we traveled. State parks, coast to coast, border to border, valleys to peaks, and everywhere in between. By the age of 16 we had been to 30 of the 50 states.
He loves babies. He can always put them to sleep with his Magic touch. (My sister inherited this gift.) He likes John Wayne movies, The Three Stooges, westerns and war movies & The classics (I get my love of the big screen especially classic movies from him), Elvis Presley and classic cars. In fact, he's been to graceland 3+ times!
His biggest passion, other than us, of course, is his love of cars (another passion I inherited). He owns a '38 Chevy Coupe; a car he built with his own two hands, from the frame up, bumper to bumper, engine to interior. We even took it for joy rides across America- Pikes Peak, once around the Indy 500 track, through the Appalachian mountains to Cherokee, North Carolina and to the Four Corners monument in New Mexico. It even took us to school a time or two.
He always told us:
"Never settle down until you're done running around".
"Don't ever think that you can't go anywhere or do anything".
"Age, it's all in your head".
"Worrying takes you no where".
"Never turn down a meal". This one he follows on a regular basis. :-)
"Help others, even if it's a carton of milk or loaf of bread". He currently works with the local food bank giving food to families.
And my favorite: "If you never change your wallet, you will never be broke". (Definitely a rule my brother follows.)
Growing up, Daddy kept his money in the same wallet. Tattered and torn, and always full of cash. Over the years as it began to wither I remember he used rubber bands and paper clips to keep it together. When the time came, he finally broke down and bought a new one. To this day, he keeps the pieces of his first wallet in his second one. And guess what... It's still full of cash.
I've never seen him cry, yet I know he loves. I've seen it and I've felt it... for 41 years and counting. Happy Birthday, Daddy. I love you.
No comments:
Post a Comment