A year ago today...

It's hard to believe that a year has gone by since Daddy died. I'm sitting here this morning while the rest of my little family sleeps. We've added one more to the mix and Daddy would have been happy to know little Julius as he's a happy child.
I remember the first time I took Savannah to Georgia and Daddy kept telling me he couldn't believe that she never cried... she, like Julius, was always smiling more than crying. She certainly did cry, but apparently not enough to turn her Grandpa off.
I've already cried this morning as I heard "The Green, Green Grass of Home" by Porter Wagoner. Daddy loved Porter Wagoner and that song is probably the most fitting to be played today as I think of him.
I wanted to post the video I made last year about Daddy... there are so many things I could say about him, but those who knew him already know what type of person he was.
We loved him and he loved us... even if he didn't always know the best way to show it.
I miss him every day and I hate that he won't know my children because he loved little Savannah so much and I know he would have felt the same about Julius.
I sit here with tears in my eyes thinking about the last time I saw him alive and how bad he felt then... less than a month later he was gone.

Letting go...

I think this video is speaking to me today. I'm thankful for my wonderful husband, beautiful children and all of those who love and support me. I just have to walk away from the rest of it.

My growing babies...

I asked Savannah to sit with Julius so I could snap their picture yesterday and here is what I got.

Savannah's second week of dance class...

Here is a picture of Savannah taken in her second dancing class... she really had a good time and loves to move. I promise to take a picture of her in a different dance next week.

Julius in the bouncer...

We pulled out one of Savannah's old toys, a bouncer we got in Arkansas from the baby resale shop. Savannah wanted no part of it when she was small so we put it away and wondered if Baby 2 would like it.
Well, we put him in it on Tuesday and he had a ball jumping up and down. Savannah came over and talked with him and these are some of the pictures I took.

Remembering my Daddy...

Today would have been my Daddy's 76th birthday. While it's still sad for me to think that he's no longer here, I know he's better off no longer suffering like he did in the last years of his life.
Daddy was in the hospital this time last year and I called him to wish him a Happy Birthday... it was the last really good conversation I had with him. I can't remember now what we talked about exactly, but I remember Daddy was clear in what he said to me.
Who could have guessed that three days later we would lose him just hours before Savannah and I arrived to say our goodbyes.
My Daddy certainly had a lot of flaws... he could be bitter and judgmental, but I think it was because of disappointments in his own life. But he loved me, Pat and Savannah and I know he would have loved Julius as well.
I asked my cousin, Linda, to pick up some flowers for Daddy's grave and she was kind enough to do that for me. She chose an arrangement of sunflowers, which is a flower Daddy really loved.
Life continues after someone you love dies, but their memory lives on in the memories you carry with you.

Savannah singing to her Grammy...

Pat captured this video of Savannah singing "You Are My Sunshine" to her Grammy... it's one of Mom's favorite songs and brings back memories of when her older grandchildren were little.

This is probably my favorite video and shows how much my little girl has grown.