Chad's dad died Wednesday. His health had been failing over the last few months and while it wasn't unexpected it still hurts so badly. In the 16 years that Chad and I have been together Dad always treated me as his very own daughter. We joked that I was his fourth child. He loved Conner and Charli Grace (his namesake) dearly. He especially loved their shenanigans and chuckled at Chad and I pulling our hair out. (We call that 'paying for your raising' here in the south.) He bought the loudest, most obnoxious birthday and Christmas gifts and made sure they went home with us rather than stay in the toy box at his house. There were always hot-wheels cars in his desk for the kids. We even found some there the day he died... just waiting for the kids' next visit.
He was a meticulous planner and organizer. One binder contained everything needed for his arrangements. All Mom had to do was sign a few papers and everything was ready. He approached his spiritual life in the same careful way. Chad found his Bible filled with notes, family records, and records of blessings and answered prayers. Dad loved his God, his wife, his family, his work and friends. He built his house on the rock and we are all so much the better for it.
Goodbye Buddy. The wait is going to be hard, but we will see you again someday.
