For Davus......

I'll always treasure the many wonderful memories we've made together. I love you, love you, love you! Throughout my life, who you are to me has evolved to include many things, but you will always be my daddy.

I remember when.....

....you shaved your beard off. There was a hole in your face.
....you had a brown camaro with the shade slats in the rear window. Even then I knew you were cool.
....you were Risky Rat. Again, my dad was SO cool and famous!
....you took me to work with you at American Color. Then I was SO cool and famous!
....you built a big red barn in our backyard. I was too little to realize it was
leaning to the side. You were amazing!
....you let me have some baby quail eggs. They never hatched, but it was still cool.
....you put a cloth diaper over my eyes and drove me to Samuel's Farm for my
birthday. I was worried people driving around us would think you had kidnapped me.
....you scared me and Mei when we were in my Cabbage Patch tent on my bed. You pressed your man face into the mesh window and terrified us. Big mean Davus.
....you always wanted to hold Mom's hand in the car and smear big smooches all over it. Still gross but in a better way now. =)
....you worked really hard to make our backyard in Arizona so pretty. I can still see very clearly in my mind how beautiful that huge flower bed was.
....we caught lots of frogs in our KFC bucket at the park. (thanks for letting us have KFC even though you probably wanted Williams or something.) We came home and let them go in the yard and then they all wanted to swim in the pool with us. It was cool until morning when we found them all dead from the clorine. =(
....you scraped the whole side of the truck when you were pulling past the big gate in our driveway. Maybe that's when I knew you weren't perfect. =)
....my little kitty was "lost". Then a few months later I found her miles away in the parking lot of a nursery. Hmmmmm.....Wonder how she really got there. I forgive you.
....you stayed up most of the night to assemble my yellow and black scooter. I'm sure we would have plenty to laugh about if that assembly project was on video! hehehe I loved that scooter.
....you wrote me a special letter when I turned 7. (I think it was 7 - the birthday with the big round orange candle.) You always were so sentimental.
....we used to play Christmas duets together on the piano. I felt like quite the musician when we did that. It was always so pretty!
....you scared me AGAIN by slamming your big hand on the outside of my bedroom window when I was in bed. All I could see was your man hand and I almost wet my pants. Thanks.
....we conspired together to wrap up things Biggie already owned so she would have more presents for her birthday. What were you thinking??? =)
....you let us loose in Walmart to buy Biggie's Christmas presents. Again, what were you thinking?!? She got some good stuff that year, huh? Poor Biggie...
....you consulted me as a 12 year old to find out Mom's size. Hahaha. Small Petite. We'll never live that one down, will we? It seemed like such a great idea.
....you let me drive the Buick Regal for the first time in 6th grade. It was only in our neighborhood in Irving but it was still so great.
....you took me on my first "date" when I turned 13. Baby Does. Yummmmmmm...
....you took us all to see Phantom of the Opera for my birthday. I was so grown up then.
....you walked me across the gym when I was the freshman princess. I was proud to have such a handsome dad.
....you took me out for my 16th birthday. You gave me a little box and when I opened it there was a car key and a picture of a brand new SUV. You always were the jokester, weren't you? I still loved the Buick though.
....you got a new accessory and we saw it for the first time at Furr's or maybe Luby's. Can't remember that part. I do remember how vulnerable you were and how we tried soooo hard not to laugh. Sorry, Davus.
....we had your 40th birthday party. Lots of funny gag gifts, stand-up comedy, and lots of friends. Was that really 10 years ago?
....you couldn't stand Matt Robertson. He was a pinhead as you put it and you couldn't stand the thought of having pinheaded grandchildren. =) Thanks for putting up with him long enough for me to figure some stuff out. (It's ok - I know you really ran him off secretly.)
....you used to come on Bible Quiz trips to officiate. I know it must have been tortuous to have been around THAT many teenagers for an extended period of time.
....we used to come home on Sundays to eat your incredible pot roast. I drool even now just thinking about it. Come make me some!
....you and John went to Applebees to "talk" about things. Thanks for screening him out for me.
....we sat on the front curb and talked about why maybe I shouldn't get married at that point in time.
....you took me to Baby Does again the Tuesday before I got married. I still have the box of heart kisses you made me and the framed poem you wrote. Your kisses still smell like you and I still use them.
....you didn't cry at my wedding. Absolutely amazing. Your song, your speech, your handsomeness - it all helped make it the best night ever.
....I cried on my honeymoon because I missed you and Biggie so much. (Sorry, John Clay. That's what you got for robbing the cradle.)
....you and Biggie picked us up from the airport after our honeymoon. You were cool, but no daughter should be subjected to that embarrassment. Really.
....I had to move far away from you and Biggie. I was grown-up and married but it didn't matter. I wanted to be close to you. =( I cried when you pulled away to drive back to Dallas.
....you held John David for the first time. I knew you were going to the best grandpa ever.
....you arranged a renewal of vows for you and Mom. It was beautiful and special. I'm so glad you love her the way you do.
....you told us the two of you were moving to Colorado. Not a funny joke, Davus. I'm still waiting for you to come back.
....all I wanted was a mexican pizza at Taco Bell. Enough said.


I have SOOOO many memories and not enough time to type them all. I love you more and more every day. I'm so happy to be your baby girl. Happy 50th Birthday, Davus!