Happy Birthday, Pop, I Love You, I Miss You

Today's post is a tribute to my Dad who I always called "Pop". He would have been 82 today, but he lost his five and a half year long battle with cancer on July 4th of 1992. As I have posted before, he is the person responsible for my love of photography as well as my love of construction and woodworking. Today I thought I would dig out some old pictures and make a collage. Most of the pictures include family members (see the diagram and notes below).

For several years I did not "celebrate" the 4th of July but now we look at it as a celebration of his life. He taught me to be a self-reliant person and I am. This is why I always say I love depending on my husband but I am not dependant upon him. Dad taught me so much and is the one person who influenced who I am today more than anyone. It's really hard to list or even put into words the effect this fabulous human being had on everyone around him. He made new friends everywhere he went and would give you the shirt off his back or the last dollar in his pocket if you needed it. He's my Guardian Angel, I know this because he "talks" to me. Now before you mark me off as insane, let me explain. You know the "voice in the your head" that tells you what to do or not do sometimes? In my case, that's my Dad. An example of what I mean, the night before my mastectomy, there he was telling me "Don't worry, everything's going to be OK". And it was, here I am 14 years later.

Compare the numbers below to the location above for the story on some of the pictures.

1. One of my favorite pictures. Dad was a die-hard Redskins fan so my oldest brother who lives in Maryland fixed him up with the shirt, hat and suspenders.
2. The shirt says it all "Best Dad on Earth"
3. Hard to see but this is me balancing on my Dad's head and shoulders when I was 7 years old.
4. My brother, me and Dad at my brother's wedding.
5. Dad and the 4 of us kids taken at the hospital after his cancer surgery. I believe this is the last time us "kids" were all together. We lost Mom in 1978 and later lost my sister in 2004.
6. Dad with 3 out of 4 of his kids (that's me behind the red shirt).
7. This is a 4 generation picture, Grandpa, Dad, my oldest brother and his son.
8. Dad and my daughter on his motorcycle about 30 years ago.
9. Dad and my son about 33 years ago.
10. Snoozing on the couch.
11. Dad with 3 out of 4 of his kids (I'm standing beside Dad).