Dear Dad –
So many memories of you today. I like the days when for no particular reason memories flood my mind. It reminds me of the movie, Inside Out, when Joy is selecting the happy memories to help Rylie through the life changing event.
This morning when dropping Lia off at school Tom the turkey was roaming the school parking lot. He walked right up to my car while we sat in the drop off line. I decided to roll my window down, and Lia and I started gobbling at him. He looked right at me and talked back to us. Lia was doing a real good job at mimicking him. They were having quite the conversation. I thought of you Dad and how you would have been gobbling at him too and laughing at Lia. She then said, “turkey dinner anyone?”
I wore your flannel shirt today Dad. Well, I guess I do have two of yours now. I wore the one you gave me though. The one you always said I wore because I would be at the house and cold. Or you and Mom would put me to work so I would put your flannel on because I didn’t want to ruin my good clothes. I remember the day you told me to keep it since I was always taking it. You said, “I think it’s your favorite flannel shirt so just have it.” You had a big smile on your face. Who knew less than a year later you would be gone and I would be pulling out that flannel shirt wishing it still smelled like you.
One more memory! I was scrolling through Facebook and came across a puzzle of the “Love” stamps. This took me right back to being a kid, probably younger than Lia. I always wanted you to buy the Love stamps when Mom would ask you to pick up stamps. Sometimes you even surprised me with the newest Love stamp. I would always want to keep one for my collection. I remember you smiling at me when I would look at the design. Or when we would talk about which one was the best. Remember the one with the puppy dog, Dad?
Oh the memories! It’s a good day when I have them, so keep them coming, Dad.