I love my father.

This is my first birthday without my father, Dwight.
As an addition to the "update" ...I lost my father on Christmas Day 2010.
He'd battled cancer for about a year, and was unable to beat it.

"Daddy"

As a child, you never imagine your life without your creators ...and even as I just turned 26, I still never imagined my life without either of my parents.
I'd honestly thought they'd outlive me. Naive? Probably. Honest? Yes.

The hardest part ...losing him, or seeing him suffer ...

Seeing someone suffer ...

There isn't a day that passes where I don't think of him, do something like he'd do, or wish he was still here.

But, it is a cycle. A stupid cycle.

And it was so much that I wasn't able to say, so much more that he deserved to see, and so many more beautiful days he deserved to experience.

My father was beautiful. He protected everything he loved, and worked hard for everything he owned, and never apologized for being everything he'd grown to be. He raised three kids, adored one woman, and took care of us like no one could.

...it's hard for me to even complete this post ...as is any conversation I carry on about him.

I just encourage everyone to take advantage of the relationships you all have with your family, and if there isn't one, make one.

-BIGMAMA