Everyday is Thanksgiving, Christmas, Birthday!

Papa & Trevin

Everyday is Thanksgiving, Christmas, Birthday!  My dad said this and lived this his whole life.  He really felt like every day you have is like Thanksgiving, Christmas, Birthday.  He never made a big deal about the actual day because he lived everyday like is was special.  And when you really stop and think about it, every day is special!  We don't get to go back and redo any day, we just learn from today and make tomorrow better.  I took this picture on a day when I'm sure I thought I was busy but dad insisted that I go with them to shoot behind our house.  Oh man am I glad that he insisted!  We had so much fun and just look a little Trevin, sitting in Papa's lap driving in the pasture.  What could I be so busy doing that I could've missed this?  This is one lesson in life that will stick with me forever...live today!  I tend to think I'm too busy or I don't have things just perfect to do this or that, but I'm getting better (with age)!  Life is too short and you don't get to redo, so it's so important that everyday be like Thanksgiving, Christmas, Birthday!  I mean EVERYDAY!

Today is Thanksgiving and I miss my dad terribly but I'm so thankful for many many things.  One of the many is the fact that my dad taught me from a very early age that life goes on, that you live and die and that it's all part of God's grand plan.  He also taught me very early that a parents role in parenting is to prepare the child to live without the parent.  As hard as that is, I'm thankful that he was hard ass enough and loved me enough to teach me the hard lessons of life!   Today came and went and I thought about my dad throughout the day and my boys talked about him lots but I didn't have that completely lost feeling that people keep asking me about.  It's hard to explain that every day with dad here was a day of Thanksgiving!  I've thought about it all day and I'm not sure why I don't have the lost feeling, I just keep thinking about how dad would have mom use the fancy dishes just for them.  Or how he would give me my birthday present 3 days before my birthday and always let me open a few Christmas presents days before Christmas, or how he'd fix a gourmet meal for just him and my mom in the middle of the day for no other reason than he loved to.  I guess that's why today has been hard but not the cry around all day kind of hard.  It's really been a day of remembering all the great and ornery things about my dad and thankful for the time my boys had with him.  Of course Trevin says he sees Papa and talks to him and I think he does!  That's a whole other post.

I do miss my dad and the past week has been a hard one but I've done things I never thought I could and I know that my dad is proud.  I'm slowing realizing that I'll never "get over" this and that my life will never be the same!  But if I've learned anything from my dad it's that life never stays the same.  No matter how mundane we think our lives are we only get one today, so it's very important to make the best of it.  If I can share anything I've learned from my dad, it's that you have the time to do with the ones you love.  No things don't have to be perfect before you stop and play with the kiddos and the dishes can wait if your child is in the mood to talk right now, the house doesn't have to be spotless to have true friends over and everyday is a great day to use the good dishes and cook gourmet meals.  Every day is what we remember!  Yes the big planned out events are great but when I stop and think about my childhood, it's the day to day that's full of fun, life lessons, and love.  What can I say, my parents rock and I'm one blessed girl!  

I don't know if the rest of the holiday season will feel the same but I do know that every day can feel like Thanksgiving, Christmas, Birthday if you have the right attitude.  I will choose the right attitude!  I miss my dad but can feel his presence and I'll probably let the boys open a Christmas present early!  You know I'LL KEEP ON KEEPIN' ON!

Trinity