Dear Dad...

Hi Dad~

I've been thinking about you a lot lately. It's not because of the holidays as I think of you all of the time. I wonder what you're doing. How you are feeling. Which book your reading at the moment. What kind of wines have you and Judy been tasting lately? I like a nice Merlot. Do you like reds? I don't even know... I do know you like Coors Light!!! :) But of course you are partial to Coors since you live in Colorado. I wish I lived closer to you. I'm sorry I would not move to Colorado. I've always said I would move to Mesa, Arizona. Mindy still lives there. She has 3 children. Did you know that?? She has two boys and she just gave birth to a baby girl. They're all adorable. I'm so happy for her. She married a really nice man who is about to go on another tour to Iraq. Please keep him in your prayers.

Remember Jodie??? How could you forget Jodie? You've known her since we were in the 4th grade when she moved to Richmond. She is married and has 2 girls. You would not believe how beautiful they are! Harley looks just like her dad and Emily is the spitting image of Jodie. Every time I see Emily, it's like looking back in time at Jodie when we were younger.

Things in Richmond are pretty much the same.... I guess. I wish you were here to knock George around. He has put Lynn through so much Hell I can't even fathom the pain and anguish she has and is going through. Not only does she have to deal with the death of Dennis, but she has to deal with going to court every day it seems to deal with George's shenanigans!!! I'm so sick and tired of him hurting my sister!!! But what comes around goes around. I firmly believe in that. He is definitely not the "brother" that I felt I had for 20 years. It breaks my heart that he is not a part of all of our lives. It hurts that he does not know my daughter.... I wish she could have seen the fun playful guy that he used to be.

Time just goes by so quickly. Sometimes I wish I could make it stop. Just for a minute so I can catch my breath. I sit here remembering all of the fun times we all used to have. Remember the first day you bought us a 3 wheeler and the first day you bought us a dirk bike? That baby was mine from the moment I laid eyes on it. I would wake up and jump on that thing and ride it until dark. I would fly around with the wind blowing through my hair and listening and thinking about nothing but the power I had and the sound of bees buzzing around me from the 2 stroke engine. I got such a rush riding that bike.

Remember when Heather or Jodie and I would take the dirt bike and three wheelers to the cow pasture and we'd ride them all day long flinging cow pooh all over each other when spinning our tires? I don't know which was more fun. Kicking pooh all over Jodie or hosing down the bikes and getting soaked! Did you know that we carved our initials in a tree in a secret spot in that pasture? I don't even remember which initials besides our own that we carved into that tree. I wonder if it's still there...

I remember riding on the boat every weekend in the dirty James River. Note to self: NEVER wear a white bathing suit to the James River!!! :) We all had so much fun on the inter tube and who was the master of the hydro slide??? Oh yeah!!! That was me! Heather may beg to differ, but that's the way I remember it. Remember when Heather almost going run over by the Annabelle Lee while skiing?? That was frightening although we laugh about it now.

I wish you lived closer so that you could see your amazing grandchildren growing up. I know you see their photos on my blog, but Dad, REALLY you have to hear how sassy my little girl is!! I have NO idea where she got that from!! She has the most beautiful blue eyes you have ever seen. They get prettier and prettier with each passing day. Dad, she is growing up so fast and she amazes me each day with how well she's doing in school. With the silly things she says, like "SNAP!" I laugh every time I hear her say that! She loves to dance, Dad!! Loves it!!! She sings and cannot wait to go on American Idol. She keeps asking me why she can't do it now!! She definitely got her dad's gift of singing and his rhythm for dancing as I dance like a white girl from Varina!! And the only time I sound good singing is when I'm drunk off of my butt and singing karaoke to a bunch of other drunk strangers, but that was back in the day. Now I'm a plain old boring wife/mother. Don't get me wrong, I still have fun and I absolutely love my life! But you know some things that I will not write on here.

But I miss you dad. Terribly.... I can't even express into words how much I miss you and how sorry I am that I don't call. Every time I talk to you I hang up and cry. It just kills me that I cannot see you. I'm not one for talking on the phone much, just ask Lynn, Heather and Mom. So even though I do not call often, please do know that I think of you all of the time and I miss you more than I've ever missed anything or anyone.

I love you, Dad.

Love,
W~