Things Granddad Likes

Right now Zachary is at Dad's favorite stage, where he can and will repeat any word you say to him. Dad loved getting the boys to say things like 'enchilada' and 'don't toss your tookies!' The other night I was lying down with Zachary at bedtime and we started talking about Granddad and things he likes. Zachary repeated each thing as I said it, and I think we both really loved this game!

Things Granddad likes:

- frogs (natch)
- accordians
- enchiladas with onions
- funny words
- jelly bellys
- moccasins
- blue jeans
- pocket knives
- potato chips
- steak & fries
- radishes
- little radios
- Whataburgers
- Dr. John
- Werewolves of London
- Dr Peppers (PT's)
- possums (possumuns)
- squirrels (squirrs)
- fried eggs
- superior dancing
- ringtail alligators
- Ice, Ice Baby too cold, too cold...
- baseball (Hooks)
- Lago

We thought of a lot more... I'll come back and add them as they come back to me.

All Saints' Day

Happy Birthday Dad

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Thanks Dad :)

I just posted on Zach's blog about alumni band weekend. This was a pretty tough time for me, because I don't think I had ever marched in alumni band that Dad wasn't there. It was something we looked forward to every year - he loved it when we came roaring through the tunnel.

Well, it turns out that with the new stadium renovations the tunnel isn't really there the way it was before. Also they have moved us way up in the upper deck, so we ended up marching up 12 ramps to get to our seats. The drums kept the cadence going the whole time, so that was actually kind of cool. But it appears that we may never come roaring to the tunnel again. Maybe that's as it should be.

Last year Dad was at the game, and we had the craziest halftime ever. While we were on the field, there was a giant rainstorm. As we played the Eyes of Texas, it was pouring down rain on us. We made it through, and it was somehow very moving. That was Dad's last alumni band game, and it was the last time I would see him before we found out he was sick.

Anyway, this year we had beautiful weather. After our trek up the 12 ramps, we got to our seats up in the sky and the sun was still beating down. It was about 5:00 so we still had a couple of hours of daylight. But about 5 minutes after we sat down, a single cloud moved over the sun, and immediately we felt the relief. That cloud did not move for two hours. It stayed there, covering the sun, until it was just about to dip below the upper deck, which was also time for us to go down for halftime.

The girl next to me kept commenting on how nice it was to have the cloud there. I finally remarked, 'you're right, that is weird how that cloud is just sitting there'. She said 'I know! It is a gift! It's like someone is doing that for us!'

And I was just quiet. :)

Then we went down and did our halftime show and it was awesome.

I will not leave you comfortless
I will come to you yet again
And your heart shall be joyful
Alleluia

Chuckle Sob

We have a security guard in the parking garage at work. He is there in the little booth every day and waves at you as you come in. He is a very nice man. He has a little whiteboard, and every day there is something new written on it, designed to make you smile as you come to work (I assume). Unfortunately (for me), these little sayings started right around the time Dad got sick, so my reactions range from anger to mild amusement to despair, depending on the groanocity of the puns he tends to prefer. The worst is when there is one that I normally would pass on to Dad. It definitely has the opposite effect of what security guard is going for, I'm sure. Today was one of those days:

My uncle has a wooden leg.
My aunt has a cedar chest.