My Papa

(H) Missing someone gets easier every day because even though it's one day further from the last time you saw each other, it's one day closer to the next time you will.

-- George S. Paterson

Time is an interesting thing. I don't think I will ever understand the way a broken heart can heal with time. Despite the overwhelming belief that you will never be happy again..you eventually are. By and by the times you remember and cry become the times you remember and smile. While days like today inevitably occur, they are rare. Which leaves much needed room for happy memories to dwell. Some of my very favorite memories of my Papa:

✒ Christmas socks ✒ Root Beer Floats (Black Cows) ✒ Hankies ✒ Teaching me how to play poker ✒ Popcorn ✒ The Price Is Right ✒Your smell (a mixture of peppermints & warming muscle rub) ✒ Birds ✒ Watching Cops together (even though I wasn’t allowed to at home..because I was terrified) ✒You calling the neighbors..”If that dog ever runs over my grandaughters again”.. ✒ Vanilla Wafers ✒ Golf ✒ Olive Garden (your favorite restaurant..and you always ordered black olives for Melanie and I) ✒ Weeki Wachee ✒ Suspenders ✒ Breakfast at The Plantation Hotel (you filling up baggies of mints for the ride home) ✒ Visiting Santa Clause (hearing you say “Ho Ho Ho, Merrrry Christmas” every time we asked you to..which was ALOT) ✒ Bunko (“Papa needs a new pair of shoes”) ✒ The Swan Man ✒ You wearing sweaters to take us to the pool ✒ Easter ✒ You taking Mellie & I to school at the Rock..and how excited we were whenever you did :) ✒ Wendy’s Frosties ✒ You & Philip sitting on benches while us girls shopped ✒ Blue lazy boy recliner ✒ Aquafresh toothpaste ✒ The way you loved Nana ✒ Earl Grey Tea

Thank you for being the best Papa a girl could ask for. You loved your family with all you had..and we are the better for it. There have been so many times when Mom & I talked about you being the “glue” for us. We’ve made it..sometimes by the skin of our teeth..but we are still very much loving each other. There is never a time when us kids & Nana get together that your name is not mentioned. Usually involving “Your Papa was so proud of his babies.” I can’t wait to see you again..and fill you in on everything Dad & Mom have accomplished..somehow I don’t think you will be surprised. We all miss you..and cannot wait until we see you again. Until then..