3 years ago today.....

I lost my Daddy.

Yes, even at 40 years old, I still call him Daddy.  Because that's what he was.

One of my first cross stitches I ever did was one that said "Any man can be a Father, but it takes someone special to be a Daddy".

I miss you.....I love you.....and I will never, ever forget you. 

You were my champion, my biggest fan, and the one who could always, no matter what, make me laugh.  You worked 2-3 jobs all your life so that we would never go without.  I thought we were rich when we were barely above poverty level. 

I never knew velveeta existed until I got married.  And I just found out, after 40 years, that mom NEVER used cheddar cheese on tacos, but sliced American.  I never knew the difference. 

Pop or soda was never in the house - it was either tea or cool aide. 

Dinners out were a once every few months thing.  I still remember when we would to go to the restraunt at the Holiday Inn and then play putt-putt, because that was our "fancy dinner of the month".  

Family vacations consisted of either Cedar Point, Geauga Lake, Hershey Park, Busch Gardens or driving somewhere to walk on a nature trail or tour old historic houses.  In Nashville, we once drove back to a McDonalds after driving 3 hours because I forgot my stuffed dog.  I will always cherish the 1982 Worlds Fair in Knoxville and camping at Grandfather Mountain.

You taught me how to stick weld and how to drive a tractor.  You taught me how to hang barbed wire fence and mow the grass.

You took a chance when we left Pennsylvania in 1985 to go to Oklahoma. 

And when I left Oklahoma in 1990, a bit of my heart stayed behind. 

No matter what I did or how I hurt you, you were always there for me.  I was always your "Yittle Yynn".  You put up with my friends every weekend.  You made them laugh.  I always had the "cool parents".  I will always remember Mahatma Havinagoodtimewishinyouwerehere, 10 little elephants and "yadayadayada".  And my magic word will forever be "Hucklebuckle".

You fought through lung cancer, diabetes, and obesity.  You fought congestive heart failure and numerous other conditions.  And in the end, it was a staph infection from a hospital that took you from us.  Something that could have been prevented.....

In loving memory of David Eugene Morrison, Jr - June 3, 1948 to December 9, 2008 - loving husband, most awesome father, and fantastic granddad.