More About My Dad...

I have been thinking a lot about  my dad lately.  Mostly about he and my mom.  I told you they had been married over 51 years when he died and I showed you this wedding picture....

But, this is too formal of a shot to show you what they were really like....

My sister, Karen, is a long time scrapbooker and had a lot of beautiful scrapbooks that she had made on display at my Dad's visitation.  My sister, Kandi, sorted through the scrapbooks and her own vast amount of pictures that she had taken and put together display boards of some of our favorite pictures of Dad.

Even though I was very much still in a fog-like state that whole week, I had the presence of mind to take pictures of some of my favorites that my talented sisters had on display.

These pictures show what life with parents, who really loved each other, was like...

I didn't do a good job of getting this one captured on film....my flash reflected off my mom....but, that is them smooching....I think as newlyweds....or a newly engaged couple....

And, again....and, again....I think you get the idea....there was a lot of smooching going on.

I shared in this post about my memories of Dad, one of which was him going to find my mom every day when he got home from work.  I was able to share this at his funeral, also. 

I remember that he would come in the front door from work and head up the three steps, to the kitchen, where mom was cooking. 

I remember, they would stand in the middle of the kitchen hugging and sort of swaying back forth.

I remember when I was little, trying to break in and get in on their hug (sometimes they would let me and sometimes they wouldn't....that time was just for them). 

I remember that the hug would almost always end with Dad giving mom a little swat on the rear before he went off to try to read the newspaper on the couch.

I remember when I was a teenager being embarrassed that my parents kissed and hugged....and other things....as evidenced by the fact that I have a much younger sister who came along, when I, the baby of the family, was 12.

Sometime in my adult years, I made the transition from embarrassment to admiration and hopefulness that I would be able to find someone who would stand in the kitchen and hug me, like my Dad hugged my Mom, at the end of a hard day. 

I am proud to say that Rainman and I are carrying on Mom and Dad's tradition of hugging and kissing in the kitchen.....and, I am assuming, from the chorus of "Eeeewww's" that we get...we are also carrying on the tradition of embarrassing our children.

V-girl even stands near us making the kissy noises....and she and S-girl will usually try to get in on the action....sometimes we let them....and sometimes we don't.

A-man has been very interesting since my dad died.  At first, I wasn't sure that he even really "got it" that Grandpa was gone.  As we were traveling on our drive back to Minnesota....I would cry....get myself under control....then, I would talk to someone on the cell phone...and I would cry some more.

He finally just said, "Mom, why don't you just stop talking about Grandpa Doug?  Then you won't cry anymore."

Since we have gotten home, he has been really....I don't know....sensitive and thoughtful....he seems to be always watching and lurking to see if I have been crying...if I look like I am going to cry.... or, if I just look sad.  He will come over and give me a big hug....look into my eyes....and walk away.

The other night, Rainman and all of the kids were out swimming.  After about 15 minutes or so, A-man came inside.  Usually he is the first in the pool and the last out of the pool. 

Here he is swimming with his cousin, Rob....just another typical day of swimming in A-man's life.  He is the "Life of the Pool Party".

So, I asked him why he had come in so early when everyone else was still out there....and probably would be for quite a while. He looked at me for a few seconds longer than normal, then just said that he was just done swimming.

Later that night, he and Rainman went to the store to get some milk....just the two of them.  Somehow a discussion of why he had stopped swimming so early came up.  A-man told Rainman that he thought I had looked sad earlier in the day and he wanted to come in and check on me to make sure I wasn't crying.

This next picture will really only mean something to my family....and people that knew my Dad....check out his pocket.....

This is A-man being like Grandpa Doug......

He told me that he wasn't going to smile with his teeth, because Grandpa Doug didn't do that.

He told me that since Grandpa Doug is dead and I won't get to see him again until I get to heaven....he wanted to try to be like him....for me...so I won't be so sad. 

He has already checked most of his shirts to see if they have a Grandpa Doug pocket.