Miss You (07/03/2025)

Today would have been your 78^th birthday, Betty. And, Dad, you would have been celebrating your 79^th anniversary with Mom. How I miss you both. It is a bittersweet day because I know what you have far exceeds any party we could throw for you. I can only imagine your joy and your peace in the presence of our LORD.  

Happy birthday, Betty. We miss your loving presence, your laugh, your antics, your cooking, and your hugs. We miss your way of rescuing things and people. We miss your humor. We miss you. We wouldn’t be who we are if we hadn’t known you because you played a large role in who we became and how we became. Your family misses you. I miss you. Today I promise to celebrate your life and to remember your love and how it helped me, how it formed me, how it still is. Love you.

Happy anniversary, Dad. We miss your way of telling it like it is. We miss your crooked smile and your straight talk. We miss your humor; no one can tell a joke the way you do. We all miss you, especially Mom. We know how blessed we were to have you as father and grandfather. We remember well all you did for each and every one of us and how you loved us and still do. Each of us carries a bit of you with us into the world every day.  Love is like that; it remains.

As I begin this day, I just wanted to tell you that you are missed. I just wanted to tell you that your life mattered to so very many people and your absence is felt to this day. I just wanted to tell you that I love you now, I loved you then, and I will love you always.

Miss you.

Until tomorrow, let us all love well.