My first Father’s Day without him….. MISS YOU DADDY! Wow it seems crazy that it’s been nine months since he passed. There haven’t been that many days that have gone by that I’ve not thought of him. I think about all kinds of things, I even have dreams of him. It seems that all those life lessons that he taught me are engrained in me even more than before!
I see myself in him ALL THE TIME! Being a business woman now and learning how to work harder than I’ve ever worked before, I find myself at it every second I get. I work first thing in the morning, then I work out, then I work again until it’s finally time to go in the kitchen and eat dinner with my sweet husband. Then it’s right back to work again until it’s time to go to bed. In other words it’s my nature TO WORK HARD.
Working hard was one of the lessons my daddy taught me. My mom used to always call him a WORK HORSE. That meant that he had a hard time coming in from working in the yard to relax, or eat, or sleep! He worked from sun-up to sun-down….. NO KIDDING! There are so many days that I see this same characteristic in myself! Working hard and accomplishing the tasks before me gives me such satisfaction! Hmmmmm…. I’m sure that came from him!
I wanted to post the picture above WITH my mother in it. I’ve posted a cropped version of just me and my dad, but as I thought about it……. my mother was his second half! They were one! They were like peanut butter and jelly, or like cookies and milk! They were BOTH the light I looked to when life was hard…. even if they didn’t know it, and most of the time they didn’t.
I remember my mom telling me once right before my daddy passed, that he had woken up in the middle of the night and asked her if she was awake. He proceeded to tell her that I was in trouble and that I needed help. She assured him I was ok and he asked how she knew. My mom said that I had told her. He was able to relax and went back to his sleep. I can just imagine why he was worried, and just knowing that, means so much to me. Even to the end he wanted the best for me, he wanted me to be safe, and to have a wonderful life. I’m forever grateful that he had the chance to meet my wonderful husband and to witness our marriage.
Another one of the greatest gifts my dad gave me, was a Father’s Blessing. I had gone to him during a very troubled time, and asked if he could do this for me. He was very hesitant because at that time he had a very hard time communicating what he was thinking because of his tumor. I assured him that whatever he would say, would be PERFECT….. and it was. I will treasure that moment forever!
For those that don’t know, he passed just thirteen days after I got married. WHAT A BLESSING that he was there! I MISS YOU DADDY and LOVE YOU SO MUCH and am THANKFUL you taught me how to be a WORK HORSE! 🙂
Shauna XO
Thank you for sharing. I lost my Dad 20 years ago and I still think about him everyday. I have a picture of him on my desk and I kiss it everyday and say good morning Dad. The heartbreak goes away but you will never stop missing him.
Happy Father’s Day to our Daddy’s in heaven.
Hi Nancy… I LOVE that you have a pic of him on your desk. I may have to do that too!! Thank heavens for wonderful memories or our dads!!!! XOXO
Shaunna,I’ve been watching you for years and have admired so much the way you’ve handled the challenges of life. Our paths have actually been very similar. I to have a wonderful father and mother that have passed on.They gave me the values and support that I needed to get through very trying times. I Also had a very hard and sad first marriage and then a blessed second one. I am so so happy for you. You deserve every blessing you have received. I know you have stayed the course and you a re righteous woman.Enjoy the road ahead. You have worked hard for it.
Mary Kay it’s so good to hear from you! Your comment means more to me than you know! It’s amazing what we are all capable of. But with the help of GOD….. all things are possible! Thank you so much for reaching out and leaving me such a LOVELY message! Take care….. and give that beautiful granddaughter a hug from me! XO
Your words are so tender – thank you! I love the pictures you posted. Would you send me a copy of you and your dad hugging, the 4 of us on a bench and the picture of you and him when he was healthy. I would love those for his scrapbook and mine! Love you dear daughter! xoxoxo
LOVE YOU BACK DEAR MOTHER!!! XO
Happy memories!!!😊 Truly blessed.
Cheryl YES….. so blessed by HAPPY memories! XO
Shauna,
Beautiful photos and memories! I too have lost amazing parents whose morals, ethics, love and never waiving faith are the foundation of my being. I feel so blessed and it is always nice to hear when others have the same feeling about their parents and childhood. I say that we know how real and deep the love is by how raw and painful the ache is when it is gone. May your memories bring you happiness and comfort!! XOXO (my mama did that too]
Hi Michelle…. thank you for your nice comment here! Don’t you think it’s amazing no matter how old you get, you still want to always feel like you’re doing what your parents would approve of? We are so blessed by them! And the MEMORIES sure are lifesavers!!!!!! Take care sweet lady! XO
Oh my gosh ! My Dad has been gone for 18 years now and I still miss him so much ! Thank you for sharing your story .
Mylinda, I don’t think that we’ll ever not think of our dads and what they taught us! It was fun to share!!!!! XO
Shauna – this was my first Father’s Day without my dad too. He passed away June 18th. I miss him so much. We had such a special bond. When he became unresponsive after a stroke, I sat with him every day in palliative care and just held his hand. As sad as it is, what a gift it was to be with him at this phase of his life.
Paula that is SO SPECIAL! Those are such precious memories! You’ll hold on to them forever and they’ll bring you so much comfort! XO
So sweet!