A Few Words about my Dad

The last few weeks have been full of ups and downs.  We have been to Florida with my family, to North Carolina with Scott's family, and suffered the loss of my Grandmother in between.  Today however marks the 10 year anniversary of my Dad's death and I really want to take the time to think about him.  I cannot believe that 10 years have gone by!  I think about my Dad every single day but rarely am I sad anymore.  I really just think about him and laugh often.  I have so many funny stories about him in my head.  I have been lucky enough in my life to meet quite a few of those people that you just cannot be in a bad mood around but my Dad was amazing in this way.  No matter how much you tried to be mad at him he had this ridiculous smile that filled his entire face up and once you saw it, you had to smile back!  I see that same thing in my brother Hank.  Again, no matter how much you want to be mad at him, he smiles and there you are....thinking how much you love him!  My Dad always grabbed you tight by the shoulders and said with a huge smile on his face "Guys, It doesn't get any better than this!"  I think he is most remembered for saying this.  He generally did enjoy just about everything!  A very positive force for sure!  Now he wasn't perfect!  He was a risk taker and rule breaker all the way!  Now myself,  I am a "by-the-rules" kind of girl and he used to do all kinds of crazy crap that drove me nuts!  He never stopped at a stop sign, he always snuck from one theater to another without paying for the second movie ( and made me do it too, which I had enormous anxiety about),  if a sign said "don't touch it" well then....he touched it!   He used to pick us up from ski-school and while in the car line he would ease up on the car in front of us and bump them.  He thought this was hilarious but some of the drivers flew out of their cars and got real mad!  He was always able to diffuse them.  As I HATE conflict, this made me a real wreck!  I could go on and on about this behavior because it literally defined him!  The rules either didn't apply to him or he just felt like they needed to be broken.  He really saw the opportunity for adventure in everything.  I think back on all the great stories of my Dad and me floating down a river, camping in a cave, sleeping on an uninhabited island, scuba diving, paragliding, bike riding across a jungle, etc.  It is a rare person with such a drive to explore the world.  His father was like this and maybe my brothers are too.  I hope I have some of this in me,  I hope I was not just along for the ride!  I do miss my Dad So much!  He was such a great person to just sit and talk to.  He knew so much about everything.  He always gave such great advice too.  All I know is that I loved being with him and looking back on all this makes me happy!