August 8th has always been synonymous with one thing.....my Dad's Birthday. It has always been about red velvet cake, dinner, the perfect card and the perfect birthday gift. As a kid, I have always known 4 birthdays...my mom, my dad, my brother and my own. As I have gotten older, more have been memorized, but still only a few are written in my heart like August 8th.
Today is the first of the many firsts that my family and I are facing. I have known today was coming for some time now, but the magnitude of this first has been shocking. As I do every day, I showed Ben G's picture. But today, I told him that it was his G's birthday and I sang Happy Birthday with Ben. I decided to keep busy today. I scheduled Ben's 9 month photo session for this morning. I met my mom for lunch. Then, before heading home, I decided to go to my Dad's grave. I know he isn't there, but it is the closest I can get to him today. For the first time in as long as I can remember, I didn't buy a card. So, my spoken words were the card. I couldn't buy him a gift, so a simple flower bouquet was the gift. As I held Ben, I told him that his G was in Heaven having the most amazing birthday party ever. This year, as heartbroken as I am to not be able to spend the day with him, I remind myself that this birthday party will be like none before. I mean, who gets to spend their birthday with their Savior?
(Side note......I found my Dad's old camera in his desk a few weeks back. This camera had rolled film still in it. I took it to be developed and picked up the pictures today. There in the stack of pictures was a family picture taken Thanksgiving 2005. We looked so much younger. We all were smiling... all together. Isn't it ironic that I picked these pictures up today?!?!)
So today, August 8, is still my Dad's day. And we still celebrate him!
Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday, my precious Dad
Happy Birthday, to YOU!!
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