So long story short- I missed practice for my high school graduation. When that happens, they don't let you walk in the ceremony. To not go in to detail, I was really upset about this. So we were able to go to the graduation, but I had to sit in the audience, my name was in the program, but I couldn't participate. My dad, seeing how hurt I was, before it started went to front and asked for the "person in charge of graduation". He yelled at them and tried to get them to let me walk anyway. It didn't work but, I will never forget that! He loved me so much he tried. That is another example of how he has always been there for me. With compassion, encouraging words, a joke, and some money. I can't think of enough good words to decribe him. I love you dad! 

Happy Birthday dad! We love and miss you like crazy! I know you're celebrating with mom! Love ya'll

Today in church they sang one of dad's favorite songs..."power in the blood". One thing about my dad is he loved to sing around the house and not only that- he usually made us sing too!

But although he sang church songs now and then, he also sang "if you want my body, and you think I'm sexy" lol so go figure....

Funny thought.

Love and miss you dad always! Hope y'all are laughing at this! :)

Kristi

 Dear Michael,                                                                                                                                     I thought about you this morning.  Usually, I would be giving you a call.  But this will have to do, for now.
     I know you are hurrying to finish our family barbeque.  Heaven's time is much shorter than ours.  I won't keep you long, I know you are busy!  Some day, I will be able to help!
                                                       My love, your sister,
                                                        Connie 
              
    

Man we all know my dad was funny, but this story is HILARIOUS!  Back in the "Creekhurst days" I think it was like 1998 or so,  me and my buddy Robert broke down on Westhiemer Rd one night in mom's old Dodge Caravan when the transmission went out and we could no longer drive forward (only the reverse gear would work).  Like usual my dad came to bail us out.  Me and my dad had done the towing thing a few times in the past using a thick rope while I would steer and brake the broken car behind him slowly until we made it home but we were usually a little closer to home before.  Anyway he shows up with the rope like usual about 20 mins later and we were just about to attach the rope from his truck to the caravan when he thought of another idea.  As most Houstonians who are from the SW side of town know Westhiemer Rd is a good distance from Creekhurst St in Alief so to speed up the pace a little my dad said he would drive the Caravan in reverse (backwards) all the way home LMAO!!   He was serious too even though he said it in a laughing way.  So me and Robert hopped in the truck and got in front to kind of escort him while dad hopped in the Caravan and drove the Caravan in reverse.  So going down Westhiemer no later then 2 minutes we got pulled over by a cop lol!!  The cop was like what are you doing??  My dad explained the situation to the cop and even he laughed about my dad's crazy idea.   The cop was like "nah....  you can't do that"  lol.  Man it was funny!!  You had to be there!!  And yes we made it home that night with the rope after all.

Nature Channel

  I remember when I would walk into the living room and you would have your feet out chilling with your diet coke watching the nature channel. Every time I saw a moment I knew I wanted to take a picture of one day I would say "Click!" Then we started to have a competition all the time to see who could "Click" the better pictures:)


My Love for Sweets 

    I remember when me and cheyenne would just get over to ya'lls house and I would run straight to the freezer to make sure I got my Birthday Cake IceCream Sandwiches. My mom use to make me til 10 A.M. to get one because I would usally wake up around 8 and run straight to the freezer(:


Family Movie Night

   I remember when you use to call all the cousins out of the gameroom to come watch a movie. Either The excersist to To Sir with Love, I kno we all loved watching movies with you no matter what they were.

    
   

I used to sit in the front in mamoose's lap, and i used to click the unlock, && lock button, and papaw would say, "i here a mouse!, oh great now i have to take the car apart" Then i would start laughing.

Papaws burned CD's
All the "grandkids" (first five) used to pile in the car and sing his songs "north to alaska"  "cathy's clown" "she can't find her keys" "when a man loves a women" ....so many i can't count!

     When we were pre-teens, we attended church every Sunday.  After finding a seat in Sunday School, Mike (I called him Mikey)  would turn his head every direction and flash a big smile.  One day, I saw him turn and flash a big smile twice.  I asked him why he smiled twice and he replied, "The first time I smiled someone was looking the other way, and didn't notice".  I thought he was a little wierd, but I loved him.  I will always miss his smile.   
    

I remember when i used to wake up at like 3 or 4 in the morning and wake up papaw for our little question and answer convos. I Thought i could ask papaw whatever and he HAD the answer. I looked up to papaw, i thought he was the best person in the world. And he still is. I remember i would ask, 'what are those noises in the trees' You would say its frogs having conversations throughout the neighbor hood. 'Why do sharks bite humans.' Because they don't know what they're doing. THere just curious, Cheyenne ill get in that water and hurt that shark if they even came near you.' I felt like papaw could do anything, and he could.

Donut Shop car rides
I used to go riding with papaw in the car every sunday all the cousins were over, I remember when i wasn't ready one morning and papaw told my mom that he would be right back. When he got back i was still crying from when he left.

I remember when we would go to papaws house and he would take us the chucki cheese's or the movies just because there was nothing to do.

Oh I remember when papaw would loose the remote and he would give $5 to which ever grandkidd found it.

Papaw i love you and i will never forget our little special memories. <3

I have quite a few stories and memories about my dad.  However I remember clearly the last father-son moment I shared with my ailing dad in his finals days as he layed awake, alert and in a pretty good mood that Tuesday morning I paid him a visit.  We were talking about different stuff and how he was doing etc.  Eventually I brought up the bible and mentioned a story I liked (my favorite one actually told by Jesus himself).  The story is from Luke 16:11,  The Parable of the Lost Son.

 The story is about a wealthy farmer that has 2 sons that work for him.  One son was a hard working faithful son.  One day the farmer's other younger son decided he wanted his share of his father's estate before he died and a few days later packed his belongings and set out on his own and settled in a far off land.  He squandered all of his fathers money on wild living and quickly became broke and eventually lived a harsh poor life after a large famine swept through the area.  After finding a little work with another poor farmer he was still hungry and barely making any money. One day he decided he had had enough of this way of living and realized the error of his ways. He was ready to go back home and hoped his beloved dad would some how take him back,  if not as his son at least as a highered servent.  So he returned home and while he was still a long way off,  his father saw him coming.  Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, hugged him, and kissed him. His son said to him 'Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.  But his father said to his servants,  'Quick!  Bring the finest robe in the house to put on him.  Get a ring for his finger and sandles for his feet.  And kill the fattest calf.  We must celebrate with a feast, for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life.  He was lost, but is now found'.  The older son working hard in the fields heard about his brother's return, became furious hearing about this celebration for him,  and angrily approached his dad. Saying ' All these years I have slaved for you and never once refused to do anything you told me.  During that time you never gave me even a goat or threw me a celebration for me and my friends. So how can you thow a celebration for this son of yours that waisted all your hard earned money on prostitutes and wild living,  you celebrate by killing the fattest calf and having a feast!!'  His father said to him 'My dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours.  We had to celebrate this happy day.  For your brother was dead and has come back to life!  He was lost, but now is found!'

My dad clearly knew this story and retold it to me.  He became choked up as did I as he got to the end of the story,  and we both shed a couple of tears. Me and my dad rarely cry and had never done it in front of each other before.  It felt almost as if the Holy Ghost touched both of us at that short time.  It was a moment I will never forget!

I remember when we were driving home when I was around 5. I saw a turtle go in the ditch. And I said DAD THERE'S A TURTLE!! He stopped to get it. And got stuck in the ditch. Needless to say we got the turtle. Someone had to help us get out. But he went through all that just to get me a turle. He said " The things you do for your kids". 

Also,there was a time I was swimming in our pond (My dad made) and I had a inner tube well being a stupid kid I jumped through the inner tube head first and got my head stuck in the mud at the bottom. I was kicking my legs trying to flip the inner tube over and I couldn't do it. Thank God my dad was there cause he saw me kicking and jumped in and got my head out of the mud. If it weren't for him I might not even be alive.  

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you hang my first painting on the refrigerator, and I immediately wanted to paint another one.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you feed a stray cat, and I learned that it was good to be kind to animals.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you make my favorite cake for me, and I learned that the little things can be the special things in life.

When you thought I wasn't looking I heard you say a prayer, and I knew that there is a God I could always talk to, and I learned to trust in Him.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you make a meal and take it to a friend who was sick, and I learned that we all have to help take care of each other.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you take care of our house and everyone in it, and I learned we have to take care of what we are given.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw how you handled your responsibilities, even when you didn't feel good, and I learned that I would have to be responsible when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw tears come from your eyes, and I learned that sometimes things hurt, but it's all right to cry.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw that you cared, and I wanted to be everything that I could be..

When you thought I wasn't looking I learned most of life's lessons that I need to know to be a good and productive person when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn't looking I looked at you and wanted to say,’ Thanks for all the things I saw when you thought I wasn't looking.'

     Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. 
                              Leave the rest to God.


Thank you Brenda - You sent this to me a long time ago and I kept it because I felt so personally touched by it.  This describes my own personal childhood experiences.  And it fills my heart with pride to say... This was MY dad!