Random thoughts of Dad. Missing him alot today...

Wow!!!! Where to begin..... Being the baby of the family I had less years to enjoy my time with Dad. However, the years I did have with him were wonderful beyond words. I basically had Mom and Dad to myself once we moved to Vermont. There are countless memories. I wouldn't even know where to begin. Lets see I can try..... Growing up I had four Dads (Dad and my three brothers) and three Moms (Mom and my two sisters). To many chiefs and not enough indians as Dad would say. Everyone had a hand in raising the baby. I can remember Dad coming home from work every evening at 5:30, dinner on the table. After a long day of working he settled in at the dinner table to listen to his six children bicker over the days happenings. After dinner no matter what type of day I had (I could have drove Mom up a wall all day) Daddy was there to bring me to the deli for M&M's. Remembering the many many nights I had fallen asleep on the couch or under the kitchen table. Dad would carry me up to my room every night. OK so we are not talking a toddler here. I began this tradition as a toddler and continued it until I was about 10 years old. I am surprised I didn't ruin his back. Dad was so happy to move to Vermont. Once he started working for Pratt's everything just seemed normal again. Dad was back to working long days but, enjoying the Vermont lifestyle. As a teenager, I drove my Dad crazy. From unplugging his car on cold nights, making him late for work to him teaching me how to drive on these winding snow covered Vermont roads. Getting a speeding ticket with Dad's old beater truck worrying he would take my license from me. After telling him I received a speeding ticket his response was "How'd you do that, I didn't think my truck went that fast. Hope you can pay for it." Many days during the Christmas holiday season helping Dad do inventory at Pratt's. He despised those yellow sticky notes (they were markers for the items already counted). I thought he was going to strangle me when he arrived home one evening to find the entire living room covered in yellow sticky notes. He grumbled and laughed it off. The numerous trips back and forth to college in Burlington during vacations. That time spent chatting will be cherished. Dropping me off he would slip me some cash and say "take care of yourself and stay out of trouble". Dad was a man of few words. Although he told Mom he loved her a million times a day Dad seldom said "I love you" to me, but when he did, it meant so much. The likely response to "Dad I love you" was a cheerful "Yeaup!". I never questioned Dad loving us kids. It showed in all he did for us. Since my daughter Riley was born on October 20th, her and I traveled back and forth on weekends to spend as much time as I could with Dad and of course to support Mom in her sleepless nights with Dad. Riley and I were able to be there with Dad when he went home to be with Jesus. Even in his last hours I recieved a cheerful "Yeaup" when I told him I loved him. Dad I will miss you until we meet again.