~ In Memory of My Daddy ~
This is a hard post for me ~ I recently lost my dear daddy. It has only been 3 1/2 months. Everyone tells me the "first" Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, & birthday are hard, but I do believe Daddy's birthday & Father's Day will always be the hardest. He was the kindest, most gentle man you could ever hope to meet. He would do anything for anyone, even a stranger. He was a true Southern Gentleman. He was also a very gifted woodworker, a hobby he enjoyed until the last few months of his life when his cancer made it impossible for him to "putter" about in the garage making things.
The above collage of pictures was my Father's Day gift to him in 2003. It is full of my favorite pictures of us together (click on it to enlarge) ~ riding horses, building snowmen, looking at his "old car", kissing goodnight, Easter, him smiling at me in my polka dot swimsuit, & a really funny one with us just getting ready for breakfast. Daddy was always so proud of his "perfect" hair, never a hair out of place, & this pic shows us both with "Morning Hair", bad at that!!!
He was always spoiling me & Mother. All we had to do was "hint" that we liked something or needed something made, & he would be in the garage making it before bedtime!! It wasn't unusual for him to be up til 2am getting something just right for us. And he loved it when we oohed & aahed over what he made. He was truly gifted.
Below is a beautiful frame with carved corner insets that he made for a Paul de Longpre print that hangs over our bed.
I had surgery back in the late 80's & became a cross-stitch fiend during my recovery, so Daddy made both me & my mother clocks for our kitchens. I provided the "face" of the clocks, & he did the rest. My little granddaughter added the "school elert (alert)" in chalk recently.
He also made both of us this little spice cabinet. He said he would never make another one of these as he didn't like carving out drawers to fit. I love it.
He made the weathered wood column for my birdhouse one year for Valentine's Day. Just showed up & surprised me with it. I was so blessed to have my parents living close by ~ only about 5 minutes away.
I can only hope that there are plenty more good, - no - great men out there like my Daddy. The world would be a better place & today's children would be much happier. A loving dad that is always there for you makes all the difference in the world.Hugs,
Stephanie
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19 comments:
Dear Stephanie, I know how hard this was for you to post. It is a beautiful tribute to him and his love of life and family. It's always wonderful to read good things about someone. thanks for sharing,
vickie
Such a lovely post. Hugs to you! Your dad sounded so wonderful.
Ele
Oh Stephanie, What an absolutly beautiful post about your sweet Dad. I love that collage you made of your favorite pictures, that is so so sweet. What gorgeous things he has made for you. I am at a loss for words...I hope you will find peace in knowing that you will one day see him again in Heaven.
Love Heather
Stephanie ~
What a beautiful post! I love the collage, what a tribute! And my goodness, how talented!! Everything he made is beautiful. I love the yardlong frame. Your dad sounds a lot like my dad, always there and always going the extra mile. How lucky we are to have wonderful men in our lives! So many women dont get to experience the blessing of having a truly wonderful man in their lives. Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful father with us! You must feel so blessed to have known such a wonderful and loving man.
Love,
Amy
Stephanie, Each and every post you do and email I recieve from you draws you more into my heart. It is remarkable to me how we share so much alike and feel so passionately about alot of things! Your always the first person I check when I come online and I am always surprised when we connect in another way. I willl tell you that in my experience when I lost my brother Terry, then sister Carol, then Dad, and then Mom I found the second holiday the worst. I guess the initial ones I was to numb, I don't know. On June 21 it will be Mom's second birthday gone and I am already wanting to close up. I dred that day and remember her 80th like it just happened! Take care my dear sweet friend, Love ya, Lori
Hi Stephanie, I enjoyed reading about your Dad..... I cried when I wrote my Father's Day post too....
Sounds like we both had very special fathers!
:)
this is my first Father's day without my dad too, and I have been a bit weepy off and on. Your post has brought tears to my eyes again. Take care, my heart is with you.
Hi Stephanie,
I followed a link from Natasha Burns blog to yours & I am nearly in tears after reading your post. It's true when they say the only man you can always count on is your daddy. I wish you love in your time of sorrow.
Sarah
Oh Steph, You brave and sweet thing for sharing your heart with us like that. I bet your Daddy is so proud of you :) he would have been smiling on you i am sure :)
Big Cuddles
Shann xxoo
Hi Stephanie, Here'e how to add PRH Sisters to your blog:
1)go to your dashboard (top right after you login
2)click layout (found about the middle of screen)
3)click Add page element on right sice of screen
4)click LINK LIST
5)Add your title and add one persons name and http, one at a time. I went to my other blog favorite link list and used copy and paste to try to save some time.
6) Save each entry and then it will alow you to make another one.
7)On your layout page, you can move the PRH Sister link wherever you want by click and drag.
I'm sure you know some of this, but just wanted to be sure I was clear. If you have any other questions, e-mail me! eleesrt.com
Ele
Wow, what a talented guy. Take heart...you'll be together again.
Karen
Stephanie :o)
What a special Daddy you have and what wonderful memories!!
Thanks for sharing ... I have to reread your post it was absolutely beautiful :)
Hugs, Dionne
Stephanie - Yes, Father's Day is hard when you have been close to a special, wonderful dad like yours. This was my 4th Father's Day without my dear dad and, in some ways, it was the hardest. Maybe because a month ago we lost my dear father-in-law was was a wonderful man and like a dad to me in many ways. Your tribute to your dad is beautiful. We have such wonderful memories.
Stephanie, I forgot to mention my parents lived 5 minutes from me two. And whenever Mom or me wanted something he was out drawing and making it for us too! I will always miss that and both of them, they were so good to me! love, Lori
What a beautiful tribute to your Dad- it sounds like he was a special and talented man and you had a great relationship.
Oh, Steph, what a wonderful tribute to your dad. I know this must have been heartbreaking to do, but so beautifully expressed. He sounds like one of those people I would have liked to have known. I admire his woodworking skills, too. Was he self taught?
Oh im so sorry about your father its been almost two years for me,my dad died on the first day of spring after a terrible battle with cancer,i still burst into tears if i see an ambulance sirens blaring,It does get easier but i think maybe you just miss em all your life,my dad was a fixer too and would build me stuff see my blog the entry Dads window ,he made me a stained glass window while he was ill.As to the firsts birthday xmas etc yes its true but really i just miss his smile and hello Love.
I think too your dad like mine was lucky to have been so loved.
Love Jullie
Hi,
I was just on the phone to my Mom on Saturday and she mentioned that this Labor Day weekend would be 18 years since my Dad had died. I could hardly speek, nor could she. He was young and gave his entire life loving my Mom and caring for all of us (6 kids).
You know how these days people say that the very best thing you could give your children is to love your spouse...I always knew how much my Dad loved my Mom. and yes, it was the very best gift of all.
Hugs to you Stephanie.
Mary
Stephanie, what a great tribute you've made to your Dad! You've shared wonderful things about him and I can see how much you really love him.
Hugs,
Kimberly
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