A Day In My Life

Because we need each other...

3 years ago today this picture was taken.  I can not remember who gave me the picture, but it was after Dad's funeral and everyone had left and we walked down to his stone...

 

I had titled the blog post "Because they need me".  What I learned during that cold long winter following Dad's death, was that we needed each other.  They seem so young three years ago.  Now she is a beautiful woman, and he is an amazing young man. 

In the last three years we have learned more about what is important, we have learned to treasure the amazing people in our lives and we have learned to treasure each other.  Eh, we ain't perfect...but we are there for each other when it is really important.

We all miss Dad, sometimes it is tougher than other times.

Tonight we got to go visit Bonnie/Bobo and went out to supper with her.  She showed me a beautiful picture of Dad that I will share tomorrow.

In the meantime, go hug an important person in your life!

Dancingly, Denise

My Dad was a believer...

He believed in the good of people, he believed in the strength of family and friends...and most of all approximately 30 plus years ago he believed in himself!

Growing up, my Dad was an alcoholic.  I feared for him and was always  worried we would get a phonecall saying he didn't make it.  One of the last times I saw him drinking I had traveled to California to visit him and go to DisneyLand...it was my 16th birthday.  My mom went with me.  My dad didn't look good, and he drank his breakfast, lunch and dinner.  Soon after that trip, he came home and stopped drinking...

 Dad believed in Santey Claus (I don't care WHAT he said:)...and Goofy... and so much more.  Most important to me...he belived in ME  and the kids and Scott and that means the world!

Dancingly, Denise

 

Today...Dad the Dancer!

My Dad loved to dance.  Ah, not Ballet, tap and jazz like me...old fashioned waltzing, where he led and the woman followed!

From as young of an age that I can remember, he and mom would go out dancing on Friday or Saturday nights. 

Every wedding we went to he danced, and danced, and danced.

And then in the last years of his life you could catch him waltzing down the hallway in his and Bonnie's house on Lawrence Welk night.

I try not to have regrets...but I regret that I eloped and didn't get to dance at my wedding with my Dad...and I regret at my nieces wedding I chose to be behind the camera and took pictures of everyone else dancing with him, but when I danced with him...I have no picture.

These are two of my most favorite pictures of my Dad and they both involve dancing...one with me:

and the other with my little girl:)

I  can only imagine that my Dad is up in Heaven dancing with Joy...

Dancingly, Denise

My dad...

Yesterday Scott and I spent the afternoon with my Step Mom...Bobo (that's what my kids call her;).

It was truly the best way we could have spent the day, honoring Dad and spending some much needed time with Bonnie.  We laughed...we almost cried (I did that later when Nate posted a beautiful sentiment about dad on facebook).

Today's pictures are focused on my Dad the American.  He was so proud to be an American and he did something about it! He was active in the legion, he voted, he helped in his community and so much more.

When you drove on Route 1 and headed into Sandy Point you could always see the flag flying at His and Bonnie's house.  Just like in the picture on the middle bottom.

I LOVE the middle left picture.  Bonnie and I took him to get his walking stick (for being in the service during war time) one day after a chemo treatment.  He was so weak and felt awful, but he wanted to stop. They presented it to him and I snapped a few pictures.  I love this one because it is a close up of his hands... We told him that day that we would go back and explore the museum one day when he was stonger.  Little did we know that day would never come.  Bonnie has his walking stick leaning up against a wall with the ball cap on it that he always wore.  It is so special.  I think someday soon Scott and the kids and I will go back to the museum and explore it for Dad.

Proud to Be an American...

Dancingly, Denise

My Dad, My Hero...

June 16, 1937-October 27, 2008

It is so hard to believe it has been 3 years to the day I said Goodbye to my dad.  I miss him everyday, and while times have been tough in our house I think of him daily and what he would say or do.  I continue to strive to grow up to be like my dad:)

I thought for the next few days I would share some pictures of him that I used in the memorial board/scrapbook. I am foever grateful to my firneds Judy and Karen who kept me focused as we created this memorial.  Some of the picture won't have a great deal of meaning to many of you...but they are fun to look at!

Each section was broken down into something my Dad was...i.e. A Dad, Son, Husband,electrician,dancer,American...etc.

Today I show you my Dad...as a SON.

He grew up in Sandy Point ,Maine.  That is him sticking his head out of the truck in the top picture.

And the picture underneath it is his parents...MY Mimi and Bampie.  The store you see in the bottom middle is the General Store and Post Office that my grandparents owned for many many years...and the picture beside it is from an article in the Yankee about Dad's parents and the 50th anniversary party we had for them.  Such  great pictures!

I'll be back tomorrow with more:)

In memory of Peter E Perkins