Papa's Birthday Lunch

The last birthday that my dad had prior to his passing, he asked me to provide lunch to the guys at the mill.  I made Indian Tacos and it was a hit.  He came over to my home a day or two later and expressed his gratitude for my contribution to his special day.  He said he loved it and the guys loved it and it was so delicious.  I was glad to have a part of making him happy.

I've continued that tradition in the years since he's gone.  Yesterday would've been his 79th birthday. I made a mountain of fry bread as well as German chocolate cake (his favorite).  The guys appreciate my efforts as well and it makes me feel good that I'm continuing something small that he was so grateful for.  I don't do much as an owner of that company, but I can boost morale.

I miss my daddy at times.  As a little girl I didn't think there was anyone more wonderful than he. Even as a teenager, I didn't think there would ever be any guy who I would love more than my dad. Amazingly I found a man just as kind, gentle and genuine as my dad.

I was sad to let him go from this life but knew that he wasn't happy in the body he was left with. Who would ever choose to have constant headaches and a body that you couldn't control?  That wasn't him.  I'm ever grateful for the time I had him and even more grateful that eternally he will still be my daddy.  I smile when I think of him.  Just a twinge of sadness that I can't see his smile and feel his touch, but so much gratefulness that he's free of the burdens of this life and can be with his eternal sweetheart, my mom.