I have been thinking about my Dad lately and all the time he spent with my kids over their entire lives. He sure did love his Grands! I could have put up pictures of him and Mom at all the girls softball games as well.
He was a farmer, a hard worker and a very proud man. He was never giving in a small way. When he gave it was big. I remember when my husband lost his job after 27 years. I was so afraid to tell Dad what had happened. I was so worried that he would be mad or make fun of my husband but NO...the first thing he said was, "it is probably the best thing that ever happened." I thought what in the world...but Dad said he needed out of that factory anyways. I was shocked and happy and relieved...I started crying. He hated it when you cried. He wanted you to be strong and hold those emotions in, but I just couldn't.
But that was not the end of the story. We had borrowed $15,000 from my parents to help with repairs to our rental properties and Dad continued by saying that he was just going to give that money to us as a gift...yes, a gift. Dad said that he thought that would take some pressure off of us as my husband found a new job...I cried even more. We hung up the phone and I can not begin to tell you how grateful I was for what he had just done. I had such a great out-pouring of love for him at that moment.
Dad always gave big and for us it was life changing. What a blessing he was to my family.
He spent almost every day working on something at my home. He kept his tractor in my barn so he could move dirt around or fix our driveway and one summer he helped paint our house. He was always there or just a phone call way.
It has been so hard since he has gone to Heaven to meet Mom...I am not sure how we have ever made it without him. You are so very missed.