A Weekend to Remember!!

Well, it is obvious to me when I look back at my pictures from the last year, that a big chunk of time is missing. I missed out on blogging, partly because I didn't feel like it, and partly because I didn't have time. As most of you know, I lost my daddy in July of this year. Things really started going down hill slowly from Christmas on. I realized what was happening and began spending more and more time with my dad. I made sure the kids got to spend as much time as possible with their Papa too. Hunter and Papa have always had a special bond. One that you can't just create, but one that just is because they are just connected in a way that I will never understand. My dad and I, though I was his daughter, didn't have the bond that he and Hunter had. Hunter would by pass any body to get to his Papa. They loved the same things, camping, fishing, hunting, and creating interesting things from everyday stuff. I remember having to sit Hunter down to explain to him that Papa wouldn't be with us much longer and the cry that came from him was unbearable for my heart to hear. My personality tends to come across as that of a rock, which I was trying to be, but I melted. We literally spent almost everyday of our summer traveling back and forth to see my dad. We were blessed that he became so funny before he passed away. The constant laughing at him made things easier, and some of the phrases he said are phrases that we commonly use in our house still today. My favorite of those phrases was when my dad had not been allowed to eat anything, and for days had been asking for McDonald's then Long John Silvers. I talked with his doctor, and the doctor agreed dad could have Long John Silvers. I was able to get a hold of mom so she picked it up on her way to the hospital. Dad was going nuts waiting for his fish. Paul said "When it gets here I might have to get a bite!" At the time dad had a hard time talking, but he clearly said "You touch, and you die!" We all started laughing so hard!! When someone wants to really protect their food around here they say it just like daddy did that day. Even though we had some fun times listening to dad, the truth is it was hard on all of us! When he passed away, we followed his wishes and had him cremated. We didn't want a traditional funeral because truth is my dad was never a very traditional man. Instead we found an amazing lodge up in the mountains of North Carolina. We gathered just his closest family and friends and had a weekend to remember. When I got to the lodge, I thought wow, Dad would love this! I can't help but look at the picture of Hunter with the fishing pole and know that as much as he loves his dad, it's Papa he would rather be fishing with. He caught the biggest bass that weekend, and I know my Dad, his Papa had to be smiling! We were blessed to be able to spend a weekend together remembering my dad, who was a very special Papa!