13 years

How can it be that 13 years have passed without my Dad in my life?

His absence has been felt for sure. The hardest times for me have been when he wasn't there when I graduated, he wasn't there to walk me down the aisle and he wasn't there to hold my sweet little girls when they were born. The most important times in my life. I know he would have been there given the choice but He obviously had other plans for my Dad.

I miss him more than words can express. I get through hard times like today just remembering all the fun times I had with him and all of the funny memories I have. The times we went camping, our trips to Disneyland and our fun summers in Iowa fishing in the creek when I caught my 10 lb flathead and he jumped in the creek with a net to make sure it didn't get away. The time he was picking apples from the apple tree and fell off the latter, riding his lawn mower pass the window, shopping at Peaceful Fool, his cats Willy & Wally, letting off awesome real fireworks back at the point, our numerous parties with our friends, the gummy worm on the fridge, the "Coke" on the table, eating at Dairy Mart, the pig placemats from Millie's, riding bikes on the trail in Washington, detassling corn as a summer job, Adventureland, riding quads at my Uncle's house, playing in the snow and spending our last Christmas with him just a couple weeks before he died. I remember the excitement of seeing him at the airport waiting for us and the sadness and tears of saying goodbye when it was time to go back home.

I am thankful for the 15 1/2 years I had my Dad in my life but I wish I had 60 more. At least I have the pictures and memories and the promise of seeing him again someday.