Len and Katie
Len had a very special place in his heart for Katie. I remember when we first started talking when he lived in Idaho. I would talk to him on the phone for a while. After we hung up I would get busy with other things and the phone would ring. When I answered it, it was Len, laughing. I asked him what he was laughing about and he said that Katie had called him. Here she waited until I was busy and got the phone and hit the redial button. He knew it was her cuz when he would answer she would be giggling and then hang up on him.
Len had a very strong desire the year before he died to adopt Katie as his own daughter. We never got around to doing a full adoption, but he was made her legal guardian along with myself. He was the only loving father that she has ever known. They had such a special bond. He loved her for who she was. He never tried to change her, he just accepted her and loved her the way that she was. I loved that about him....how much he loved and cared for Katie.
When I was working, he would get Katie off the bus in the afternoon and he would always have a snack waiting for her. He was such a good daddy to her.
He used to sing to her. "Katie, Katie Doodle, I sure do love you". I can still hear him singing that to her. He told her several times a day how much he loved her.
When he would hug Katie he had this look of utter content and happiness on his face. I am fortunate to have that scene burned in my memory.