HAPPY "82ND" BIRTHDAY DAD!

                                            

Well, It's September 2, 2012... I haven't been on here much at all lately...  but I'm not complaining... I've been spending some quality time with my Dad, some of it frightening most of it wonderful!  I've witnessed  what fighting spirit is, strength, happy tears, and not so happy tears. In only the last 6 months, after never really being sick... he has gone through and survived a heart attack, getting a pacemaker, congestive heart failure, kidney failure, and most recently pneumonia. Through it all, he seemed to be only be focused on getting better, being with his family, his dog, going fishing, cutting his grass, baking and cooking again!  As hard as it was to face reality, he seemed to give myself and my brothers the strength we needed to deal with how truly sick he was.  His constant sense of humor, his ability to never focus on the severity of his situation made every day of constant worry turn into just enjoying every single minute with him.

As we get older and our parents get older, the tables start to turn.  My Dad,  who raised and supported 3 children by himself, after my Mom died when we were just 15, 13, and 9, always a very proud man... needed his children.  You seem to never think that you are going to get that phone call.  We all take life for granted without ever realizing it sometimes... and then reality hits... "Sis, I think I need to go to the hospital".

As we sat in the emergency room (for WAYYYYY too long) I was asked to leave.  I just sat and reminisced about the past... realized so much and although I've always told him I love him every time we talk or I see him ... he was never given the credit he deserved... no one's always perfect, but are any of us?  But, when I think back my Dad was all we had. Not an easy task to take on 3 young children.

It seems that when you grow up and mature you realize what was important and what was not...  I won't even focus on the unimportant... because it is just that!  What was important is learning that a smile or a stupid joke can make a bad day better.  That you don't need a lot to be happy, that material things, although are great, do not make you a better, happier person. LOTS of tears (my dad and I  and I'm thinking my brothers (although they would never admit it) are criers haha) happy or not, are ok... showing how you feel, telling people you love them when you feel it is so much more important than the negative energy that over takes so many of us.  Doing what you enjoy, even though sometimes... it will never make you rich... makes you a better person in so many ways.  Finding time to care and sacrificing your time and energy for someone else when they need you...  is priceless... not an inconvenience.

These good qualities that my brother's and I watched & learned from my dad are something so special that  as adults, we are all passing down to our own children, who we all adore... it's made all three of us the parents, the people, the sister, the brothers, and now Eddy and Bobby as grandparents (yes grandparents ;)  we are.  We learned that through heartache and tragedy, family, unconditional love, hard work, sacrifice and just being there in good and bad times, respecting ourselves and others and forgiveness .... are the most important lessons we ever learned.

Through all of this we do have to thank our Dad... Today is his "82nd" Birthday and we are all going to celebrate together, family and friends.... I am soooo happy to say that he is finally doing terrific,  feeling much better, pneumonia is gone, the other conditions, although still there, are under control.  I look at every day now as a gift and so grateful for more time.... He already went fishing with his buddy this week, made me 2 of his six million dollar cakes, cut his grass, and VERY happy he is home with his dog Tina!

Happy Birthday Dad... You are so loved....