Daddy's Little Girl....

Tomorrow is the anniversary of the death of my father and every year I reflect on my times with him and our family. Of course I always think of him and every day something reminds me of him or something he'd say to me if he were here. We were very close and in a lot of ways our personalities were very similiar. He could talk to anyone and always had advice to give. He never gave us the easy answer when we'd ask a question. He would give the pro and then the con and then ask "So what do you think you should do?" When I was younger, I just wanted him to tell me the answer but as I got older I was happy he did this because it taught me and my sisters how to think for ourselves. I'll never forget about three weeks before he died, he came in my room and stood in the door way watching me iron my school uniform. I looked at him and kind of laughed and said "what?" I was wondering why he was just staring at me. He said, "Come here sit down I want to tell you something" and we sat on my bed. He told me that he was really happy that I can take care of myself and that he and my mom tried to raise me and my sisters to think for ourselves and to be self reliant. I was thinking okay....why is he telling me this? Then he told me that one day he and my mom wouldn't be around so he was glad to know we could take care of ourselves. So I asked him, "Are you going somewhere?" and we both kind of laughed and he said no that he was just glad to know he raised us the right way and that he knew we could take care of ourselves. It didn't make any sense at that moment to me why he was telling me that, but of course three weeks later I figured out what that conversation was all about.




A lot of people take thier parents for granted and me and my sisters were just saying the other day how we would give anything today for our parents to be here. I honestly don't think we ever took our parents for granted while they were here. We enjoyed every moment with them even if we were getting yelled at or whatever, it's all part of growing and it's all part of being a family. Here are some pics:







The first pic is me and my dad at Magic Mountain in California
where I grew up. The second pic is before he even met my mom. He was in the United States Marine Corp. He served in the Korean War and again went back as an aircraft mechanic in the Vietnam War as the Marines called him back for that trade. When he passed I made sure that he had an American Flag because I wanted everyone to know he served his country and that he got the respect he deserved. My mom gave me the flag after they folded it and it remains intact in my house just that way today. The third pic is my dad, my mom, my sister Michele and baby sister Frances and me at my First Communion (yes I was tall for an 8 year old, I know. My dad thought I'd be 6 foot lol)
I'd like to take today to reflect on all the good times and I know he always around me and guiding me no matter what. I was thinking of him today as I do every day when I go to the gym. He died of a second heart attack and I'm not going that route which is why it is so important for me to get my body together. Not only to lose weight because of vanity but for the health aspect of it as well. There are so many people that look great today and live longer because they take the time to work out and work thier hearts and bodies in general.
While I was at the gym, I see on the tv sets there that there was a horrible accident involving a lady and kids I think it was 8 total. Only one of the kids survived and everyone else died. The lady was a mom to some of the kids and to the kid that survived. I cannot imagine the families involved especially the ones all related, are going to have to go to a mass funeral. Another accident in the news was another automobile accident that caused two more deaths. For the mom with the kids, she was going the wrong way on the parkway and apparently there was a second car that day that went the wrong way. I think that town needs to look at the signs because if two people got on a parkway going the wrong way, this sounds like a sign or direction problem and they really should fix that. The other accident is still unknown why it happened.
This is the summer and there is way more traffic out here than normal and everyone needs to be more aware of what is going on. In this past month I have so many friends that have had accidents, been in the hospital for other medical reasons, and that are not doing well at all health wise. We need to start taking care of ourselves and those around us. Please be extra careful if you are traveling just around the corner of your house or going on a long trip. Buckle up and watch the other cars because everything can change on a dime so please be extra careful.
It seems like our lives have gotten so much more fast paced and we really need to slow down and take notice of our surroundings.
Be careful during this summer season and pay attention to your health so you don't wind up in the hospital. Go today and join a gym to jump start your health routine and watch what you eat. Go to your doctor and get a routine physical just to see where you're at.
No one wants to lose anyone even though we know one day they won't be here but let's prevent that as long as we can. Think before you act and as my father would say "use your head for more than a hat rack" haha, yes he had many words of wisdom. Love you and miss you dad xo