Happy Birthday Daddy!!!!

Today is my Dad's birthday. Or rather would have been. He died 5 years ago. He would have been 80 years old today. We miss him and we love him. But we remember him. I teach my kids about him. They love him. Bear wasn't quite 2 years old when he died and I was 7 months pregnant with Gunnar. So they don't have memories of him. But, Bear knows that he is like him. That he has his ears. My girls remember him. Most of their memories of him are in the nursing home where he lived the last two years of his life. But, they are good memories. He would scoot over and they would play on his bed. They remember me stopping and bringing him some sort of yummy food. Tacos most of the time. I would feed him. He would smile a half smile because of his last big stroke. He would kiss us and tell us he loved us. He had such a good attitude even in that sad place. Savannah used to save a seat for him at our dinner table. I think he was around a lot shortly after he died and she was sensitive to that.   I think of him often, nearly everyday. I miss him. I try hard to live in a way that would make him proud and take care of my mom like he would want me to. He left a great legacy. He lived a good and honest life. He served and loved his family. I am so thankful that he was my Dad.  So he gone, but never forgotten. I know that I will see him again someday. Happy Birthday Daddy! We love you!