My Daddy

I am not sure when this picture of my Daddy was taken, but I think it was toward the end of his college career. I found out this week that my counselor knew my Daddy around 1967. My counselor was in High School and worked summers at the insurance company where my Daddy worked in downtown Des Moines. How crazy is it that before I was even born my counselor knew my Daddy. Who could have known that 45 years later I would be sitting in my counselor's office reminiscing about memories of me and my Daddy? My counselor recalled the time he knew my Daddy and said he remembered him fondly and that he was a nice man.

This week I've been doing a lot of thinking about my Daddy. This past May marked 20 years since he had passed away. It's so hard to believe that it has been that long. If I close my eyes I can still hear his voice, I can smell his cologne, I can see his smiling face. I don't have a lot of memories from my childhood, but I remember getting done with my bath at night and coming downstairs and sitting at my Daddy's feet. I would hand him the towel and he would towel dry my hair. He would just rub and rub and rub until my thick curly hair was mostly dry. I would then curl up on his lap and he would just hold me. Oh, what I wouldn't give to curl up in his lap right now just to have him hold me in his arms.

The picture to the right is from my High School graduation (there's a good look at that thick curly hair I once had) I love this picture of my Daddy and me. I can tell from the look on his face he is proud of me. I moved in with my Daddy when I was 16 years old. Those last 2 years of High School were my happiest time in my childhood that I remember. I remember knowing that I was safe. I remember knowing that my Daddy loved me even when we disagreed.

My Daddy and I had some rough times and it led to him not talking to me for almost two years before he passed away. But, even during that time I always knew my Daddy loved me. I never once doubted that his love for me waivered in spite of our differences.

I'm thankful for the memories I have with my Daddy. I'm thankful that even though our relationship wasn't perfect, it was solid in our love for one another. There were a lot of rotten things that happened in my childhood, a lot of things I wish I could change... but one thing I would never change was the relationship I had with my Daddy. He died far too young and I wish I could have him with me still today, but at least I have wonderful memories and that's something no one can take away from me. I am grateful to my Daddy for teaching me that even though you may have differences it doesn't mean you don't still love each other.

Holding on to the memories,

Sherri