Missing Dad

Today is the one year anniversary of dad's death. He has been thought of often and missed much. But I know he is happy, free of pain, and in a much better place. I wanted to post one of my all-time favorite pictures of him...smiling at Claire on her blessing day. I miss you dad.

Green Beans and Dad

Today I went out to my garden and picked green beans to can. It so reminded me of the times I was in Idaho with Dad and Mary, going out to pick beans and then spending all day working together to get the canning done. I sure missed Dad today. But I had to smile when I thought of this picture of "Farmer Pearson" and had to post it here. It was fun today; a feeling of accomplishment to grow and can your own beans, but it wasn't as much fun without Dad.

Dad

This has been a hard post for me. Dad passed away very quickly and expectantly this past week. My dad and I didn't always have the best of relationships. When my parents got divorced while I was in late high school, my mom took it very hard. She coped by making us choose which parent to love. And of course, I chose mom. The next years were almost dad-less. I saw him a few times, but nothing meaningful. It wasn't until after I was married and had my kids that my dad became a part of our lives. I think he would be the first to admit he was a much better grandpa than he ever was a dad. I'm extremely grateful that the last few years have been much better for dad and me. I was finally able to understand that even though dad didn't say or show much affection, he loved me. Our last words together, even we didn't know they would be our last, were "I love you."

Some things I want to remember about dad:
*He loved spending time with Todd and Amy--there were countless fishing trips where he would patiently bate the hooks and take the fish off.
*He supported his grand kids--He came to baby blessings, ballet performances, and graduations. This is especially wonderful because it meant long drives to either Provo or Westminster.
*School was important to him--He encouraged his kids and grand kids to finish their educations. He was especially proud of Todd for not giving up, but finishing his degree.
*He was very generous--The fights we would have over who was going to pick up the check.
I love you, dad. You are missed very much.