The Day I Died, I was Born...A Tribute for Father's Day

The day I died I was born!  True story!  My mom was having labor pains so her and my dad rushed off to the hospital.  There were some complications with the delivery and I came out with my cord wrapped around my neck and no heartbeat.  I was pronounced dead.  My dad not being able to handle the news had to leave the room.  He was absolutely shattered!   Then came the miracle that he would never forget!  I started to cry.  They ran out and retrieved my dad to tell him the wonderful news!  He finally had a baby girl to call his own.  He was scared and proud and full of emotion.

Every chance my dad got he loved telling me this story!  The day of my birth and death all in the same.  My  parents conceived seven times and only had three of us make it full term.  I am the middle child and the only biological girl (my parents adopted my sister after I had moved out of the house).  This made me the only Daddy's little girl, and I LOVED this role!

Dad would wake up before anyone else in the house so he could enjoy his newspaper and coffee.  I loved when he was home because I too awoke before anyone else and this was daddy and me time!  He would build a crackling fire to warm up the house, and we would sit and chat, just the two of us.  Dad would share the comics section of the newspaper.  I would feel like a real grown up sitting and reading the paper with my dad!

On Sunday mornings dad would make the best coffee cake you could imagine!  This was always a great time to spend with dad and delight the late risers with a delicious treat!  I always got to add the crumb topping on top :)

Dad was a hard worker!  The hardest worker of anyone I have known.  He always had a job and supported our family greatly!  He worked on the Submarines in the Navy until he retired which made him gone A LOT!  We spent countless Christmas, birthdays, graduations and so on with him being deployed.  I remember sitting in my room one day crying while listening to a song, Daddy won't be home again for Christmas by Merle Haggard.  Being a military baby I feel like I was jipped of time with my dad!  As I am sure many military families feel.

After dad retired the Navy he went right to work on an off shore oil rig.  Dad would work one week on and then have one week off.  I will never forget the excitement of seeing his car pull into the driveway and him stepping out as he flung his big duffel of laundry over his shoulder.  We would all run out to greet him and give him the biggest hug ever!  Dad always smelled of Diesel engines my whole life!  Whenever he would return home from WEST PAC or the rig he had a distinctive smell to him.  If I try hard enough I can still smell it...I loved that smell!  That was the scent that told me my hero was home... even if only for a short time.

My dad was a man's man!  He worked hard and played even harder.  He enjoyed hunting, building cool little buildings, camping, Gold mines, shooting, and drinking beer!  He also had a soft side to him. He was compassionate and always had a warm grin to share. Dad would reach his hand out to grab your hand as you walked by.  He loved kids and he loved helping people.

Dad was strong!  He was a no nonsense kind of man.  He was not afraid to give you "the look" when he disapproved of something.  His temples would pulse if he was angry.

Dad became ill when I was nineteen.  I remember the call like it was yesterday telling me he had prostate cancer.  I thought for sure he of all people would beat it!  I could not believe anything could bring my dad down.  He was too strong for anything to defeat him!!  Unfortunately I had to watch my hero suffer for four years as the cancer took over his body claiming him at the young age of 54!

I was robbed once again of time with my dad, and my hero.  My dad left this physical world too soon, but the time I did have with him was AMAZING!!!

Father's Day is just around the corner and I will continue to celebrate you!  Happy Father's Day to the best man to walk this earth!  I loved when you would tell me the story of my birth and I'm sorry to make you cry that day!  Thank you for being the BEST!!

  Love you...your baby girl