Happy Father's Day.....

Fatherhood is pretending the present you love most is soap-on-a-rope.
~Bill Cosby

This quote made me laugh, because it reminded me of the gifts I gave my Dad on Father’s Day. There were hand-drawn pictures, numerous ties and yes, I am sure, somewhere along the way, I gave him a soap-on-a-rope. But the one gift I remember the most is one I made him that he had hanging on his office wall for years.

My Dad was a Professor at NCSU…not a classroom teacher, but an out-in-the-field teacher. He was a Doctor, too. Not medical, PHd. He was a big man on campus I remember that. Anyway—he worked in the Poultry Science Department. He grew up on a chicken farm in Tennessee so I guess it only natural that that would be what he would grow up to do---but on a grand scale. When farmers, producers or growers had issues on their farms or at their plants….who did they call? My Dad. And that was state-wide, across the nation and around the world! My Dad traveled to third world countries to help them set up simple, but safe processing plants so they would have basic food. Pretty cool stuff!

When I was in elementary school I made him a chicken out of dry macaroni, dried beans and dried rice. At my ripe age of 5, I thought it was a masterpiece! (it was pretty cute). As long as I can remember, that macaroni chicken hung in his office. When the beans or a piece of macaroni would fall off, he’d bring it home so Mom could re-glue 'em back on. Over the years, it really started to look….well….a little worn out. Many years later when I started going to NC State, I would swing by his office quite often to say Hi. I remember asking him why he kept that sad looking chicken hangin’ up there—I mean after 15 years, pieces were missing, his beak had fallen off. It was pitiful looking! His answer to me though was simple “Because you made it for me”.

Not until right now have I ever wondered what happened to that macaroni chicken, but I bet Mom still has it. I’ll have to call and find out ‘cause I would love to adopt him back, make what I am sure are massive repairs and hang it here in my office.

My Dad passed away in 2001 and I miss him--especially when Father’s Day rolls around. But I love the little memories I have…… Cherish your Dad this Father’s Day…..or like I will this weekend, cherish the memories.

Happy Father’s Day!!!!

Graduation day....

My daughter graduated from 5th grade last week. I’m happy to say I did fine during the whole ceremony. I did not embarrass my daughter, which she was worried about. When she saw I had my little travel packet of tissues laid out on the kitchen table that morning, I got the 5 syllable “Mom”. You know--“Mahhhhhhhhhhhhmmmmmmmmmmmmm-muh”. It’s “OMG, pleeeeezse don’t start crying when I walk in the room ‘cause I’ll be soooooo embarrassed in front of all my friends!” all said in one elongated word.

I’ll tell you what was rolling through my head--‘When did I become the Mom of a junior-higher?’. It’s that same thought every parent goes through as they watch their kids hit milestones in their lives. ‘Where did the time go?’ you ask and you start flipping through that mental photo album: when she was born…..when she started walking….potty-training…..her very, very first day of school….. her first big spill off her scooter…… teaching her to ride her bike……watching her help dad ‘mow’ the lawn……the first little boy in class she thought was cute……and the ‘pictures’ flip on and on.

To those of you graduating this year, congratulations and have the most fantastic time. Soak it allllll in because before you know it, the real world comes a-callin'. If Mom and Dad are blubbering before, during and after--don't be embarrassed. That's an outpouring of love in tear-form.

Happy Graduation!!!