I'm dedicating this post to my dad because it would have been his 56th birthday today. He died of congestive heart failure July 17, 2007. My dad loved cactus. So much so that he brought different species home from his big truck travels and with his talented green thumb they flourished all over the house, the garage, and the yard. A hobby my mom is still dealing with. I think of a cactus as a good representation of my dad's life. Pretty prickly, able to survive harsh conditions, and beautiful blooms. Right after graduating high school he developed hodgkin's disease and survived, which was pretty rare at that time. He was told that he wouldn't have kids, but he ended up with 3 girls. I like to think about the things he passed on to me. A love of NASCAR, country music, reading, traveling, playing dominoes and a little bit of that Johnson temper. I wish so much that he could be here to enjoy his grandbabies. I know he'd have them down at the lake fishing or digging in the dirt. I think he'd have been especially proud this year as "#3" graduates high school and goes off to college. His death still stings and I suppose it always will. I get comfort though from thinking about Jesus' sacrifice for us all. I hope for the day when Daddy will get his healed heart and he'll be tending to God's garden.
I didn't post anything earlier because the beauty of what you wrote and the tribute to your father just made anything else seem trivial. I still don't have anything to say except what a remarkable person you are, kind and generous and loving, and your life is a tribute to him. Thanks for the post. It's beautiful.
ReplyDeleteRV
It's hard to believe it has been over three years since your Dad passed away. Thanks for sharing the things about him that you hold dear. I also can't believe that Casey is going to be graduating!
ReplyDeleteThanks RV!
ReplyDeleteNicole~ Time feels like it's just slipping away, especially when I look at pictures at Elle or think about how long it's been since we were all in Memphis. It occurred to me today that Casey was 11 when Chris and I got married!