Dear Pop

Dear Pop-

It has only been two days and I'm missing you more today. I've been going over and over in my head what I'm going to write to you. Even though you were sick for a while and had a kidney transplant in your 40's, you are still the strongest man I have ever known. For all the circumstances you have been through, you were always so happy and healthy for so long. It was only the past two years that life started getting a little rough. But you always hung in there. Your spirits were always high no matter how you were feeling or what you were going through.

I remember when I was a little girl I was so in love with you. I was definitely a daddy's girl. I knew I wanted to marry a man just like you when I grew up. And guess what... I did. I am definitely my father's daughter. I'm so much like you. I get my calm nature from you. I don't let things get to me and I'm always so laid back. I get that from you. You were always so artistic and creative. You were so good at drawing. You drew me some great pictures like all the characters from The Wizard of Oz. You even built me that two story doll house made out of cardboard. You decorated it with wall paper and even made cardboard furniture. I loved that thing and played with it for hours. You even built us that red tree house in the back yard. We had so many memories there. I have always been creative just like you. I'm not quite as good at drawing but I have other artistic abilities and a creative mind.


One of the funniest memories I have is when you farted then jumped and said "Where's the mouse!" I cracked up for hours it seemed like. Another funny memory is when I was sitting on your lap and you were singing the Mickey Mouse song, "M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E. Mickey Mouse!" I thought it was such a silly song and wanted you to keep singing it over and over. I loved going to the library with you and picking out books and having you read to me right before bedtime.

You also had a love for music just like me. Some nights you would bring home some stuff from work and play music while you worked on it. We were jamming to The Four Seasons "Oh what a night" and I was pretending I was on a stage while dancing around. I loved that song from Electric Light Orchestra where it sounded like there was an alien robot in the beginning. I always asked you to play it for me so I could listen to it on your head phones.

I always say things like you to be funny. Like the way you used to say K-mart. "KEEYYY-MART!" Or when you find something instead of "There it is" you would say "There-a-lar!" And "chachage" instead of sausage. There are so many more.

I love when you used to bring me something to drink in my room just because. And sometimes you would bring me little snacks. You liked to let you cereal sit in the milk for a little while to get soggy before you ate it. I think I like soggy things because of you now.

You loved your grand babies so much. Baby Ryan loves his "poppa" and would get so excited when he would go to see you. I remember how excited you got when I told you Jordan and I were having a girl.

When we danced together at my wedding to Tim Mcgraw's "My little girl", you told me "You're not a little girl anymore." I love how you always called me baby since I was a little girl.

You were always such a kind hearted, sweet person. You liked to make conversation with strangers and touched every ones lives that you came across. I was so lucky to have such a loving father who was always there for me and supported in everything I did. You were always the best husband to my mom that any could ever ask for. We were all so lucky to have you in our lives for as long as we did.

I'm going to get Jessalyn a little Dallas Cowboys cheerleading uniform just for you. She is going to look so cute. I'm so happy you got to meet her and you got to be in her life for a little while.

I'm so glad that you went so peacefully. My mom told me that when she found you that you looked so peaceful and happy. That makes it just a little bit easier for me. I know you were tired and you were ready to go. We weren't ready to let you go yet. But we were never going to be ready. But I know you are happy and you aren't in any pain. You are peaceful. I wonder what your last thoughts were. The last time I saw you was a month ago in Denver when you were in the hospital. I know nobody really ever gets to say goodbye and I doubt it would have made it easier. But I'm sad that I didn't get to say good bye and tell you how much I love you and how much I'm going to miss you and that I can't wait to see you again. I'm sure you already know all that but I still wish I could have told you and hugged you and kissed you one last time. I wish I could take away my moms pain from losing you. I can only imagine what she is going through but she is happy your last day was a happy day and that you went peacefully. I will think about you ever day like I always have. You would be so happy to know how much you are going to be missed by so many people. There is so much more I would like to say but I can't see much with all these tears.

Well Pop, I love you so much and I will see you soon. Then we can jam to some music and eat soggy cereal and lemon eegee's together.

Love,

Your Daughter