Today, my heart was full of memories, It seems like a Fall day even though we are heading  into the middle of August. While praying over the last day and my blog writing my parents were in the front of my mind and stirring my heart. My mom which I will introduce you to shortly went to the Lord  Aug, 7 ,2013.

Today, I would like to give honor to my 86 year old Dad. He is referred to by everyone as Bill. He is just like his Father before him a family man, A Man Of God and led our family with strenght, and yet a gentle demeanor. My dad is a Marine and forever will be. My dad had responsibility far beyond his wife and 5 children. I am #4 out of 5. My dad worked very hard at his job and got extra work a second job to make sure that we were okay financially . My dad, as my mom always told us would come home with his pay and give it to her so she could juggle and handle the family budget. Back in that day it was common for the guy’s to get paid on thursdays and go have drinks after work. Not my dad, he was not one of those men. My dad donated time and materials and built an equipment box for the parish van and drove the equipment van to all band practices, and competitions that we had. All of his kids me included belonged to the St. Agnes Marching Band, concert band and we did plays with that orginazation as well. 12 total years of it. My father even lost two teeth with something falling out of the truck onto his face. Dedication! He volunteered all the time.  For his kids #1, but also Mr’ R was  everyone’ s dad, a lot of dads just were not there, so we were very proud of my dad and, proud that he is ours !!

Today, he is engaged in all of his family’s lives with quiet support but has never been envasive in our lives. His faith has been a beacon to our family bringing the Divine Mercy Chaplet to our home before the prayers were really common. St. Faustina. And, St. Michael is his best friend. 🙂 His faith is yet another reason that I have been able to weather this storm( cancer) so well in my life. Jesus and Faith are who we are, it is part of our family constitution. Our foundation is strong. And that is due to my dad too 🙂

My Dad is the dad that worked so much yet, he was always present. When he came home from work he met 5 screaming kids on the driveway. He would pull into the driveway and park at the end so we did not go into the street. He would get out of the car with his black baracuda jacket slung over  his arm.  He would hug us and in his hand was a little brown bag and he give us a peice of candy. I cannot forget how hansome he was/ is dark black hair and sky blue eyes. That was a Miracle to me My dad was there and just loved us so much. We had the first and only backyard  skating  rink in the neighborhood, that my dad made. all the neighbors down the block were good friends then !!! lol  Oh, by the way, we were all Marines he cut all his 4 boys hair regulation crew at his work bench, my mom would walk by and say. ooh Bill they look so good ! Beautiful memories! My sister went for the dorothy hamel look, so my dad did not dare to attempt that cut. LOL Girl’s get crabby! 🙂

Even after all of the hours he worked, I was insistent on becoming a newpaper boy so my parents helped me to make my dream come true. 🙂 By the way, I was 9ish…I was just like the Beev on the television show. Well the Sunday Globe was big in that day. Heavy.They had to be put together and stuffed and they also needed to be delivered by a certain time. Well , the papers would get dropped and I do mean dropped hard onto the front stoop at 4a.m. I needed to get down shortly after 5 to stuff them and my dad would load them into his car and he would deliver them with me. Need less to say you know who stuffed them most of the time dear old dad. LOL

But thats my dad always willing, never yelling at us he would just instruct you that this is not right. You see, when parenting you can lead without screaming and giving outbursts. And, when you choose to speak you measure your words,  people listen. That is my dad. Not me, I start off carm and then  the lid flips !!!

My father retired just in time to spend all of his time when not with us sitting by his dads bed in one hospital, his mothers bed in another hospital, my other grandfather that was yet in another facility. He left the crack of dawn on a bus, returned hours later to get his car and go up to his dads then off to peabody for his father in law my papa. They were all end of life illnesses. My mom was working, when she got out of work she came home and got us kids dinner. My healthy Nana Ilene got into the car with my mom and they were gone to make their hospital  visits. This was every day for a really long time! My dad then came home to be there for us. He never complained he just did out of love and was necessary and right to support his elders that he loved so much.You know, what families use to be like. He has witness Jesus to us all over all these years including my mom, she adored him and he  cherished her too. Thats why when I say stuff like I have had no advirsity in my life including my cancer people think, how could he ever say that? This account of who my dad is one of the reasons why. Love so strong, that it can right my ship. In essence, I was made a Marine by my dad by his standard and my haircut as a little boy 🙂 So, I can lay in a fox hole now with bullets flying that I   have full confidence that I will make it out and into the hands of my Heavenly Father.

My Dad met my mom when he was 21 years old at a cookout he was on a blind date. He saw my mom  and just knew that he really liked her. She was 16 and was at Matigon Highschool in Cambridge, Ma. My mom kept getting double promoted and was graduating early from highschool.

She was very mature for her age. So they related well even with the age difference of 5 years.

They were together married for I believe 59 years but knew eachother longer than that. A marriage made in Heaven and kept together because God was right their in the middle.

When my mom took ill 3 years ago, she had COPD for a number of years but the last three were full of infections of the lungs an in operable tumor in her lung and heavy treatment, hopitals etc. Again, I will be writing soon on what an amazing Spirit that she possessed.:) And she was a miracle too !

My Dad jumped in and just took over her home care, my brothers, sister, neices and nephew were there doing anything that was required. I could not be there physically because I had my cancer treatment in progress. I got there almost weekly, but we spoke a couple of times a day by phone and she was a beaming light and a rock firmly devoted to God and Adored Her Blessed Mother. She was no victim either, She did it her way for God’s glory. Amen.

My father stopped every activity that would take him from my moms side, he prayed with her, comforted her, cuddled her, and did it all. Christ in action! It was something that I could never fully describe.

I will say this, I hope someday to be one tenth  the dad to my kids that my dad has been for myself, brothers and sister.

To my dad ,

Love, The Pizza Man, and lots of other names.LOL right dad!

This is just a glimpse of who my dad is, Thankyou God for My Dad 🙂

Earthly Father  Enjoy

Ray Orbison In Dreams , For you Dad I know know how much you both loved Ray and this is reminds me of mom and you, Love beyond measure. D, S, B 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xplKpL59sPg

Our fathers carry half of our genetic makeup. Our relationship with our father plays a huge part of who we will become. In many segments of society, people grow up without ever knowing their fathers. This is unfortunate because fathers should play as important a role in raising their children as mothers. A father is the model of a man for his daughter and she will choose a man who is like him. A father is the model for his son as well. Fortunately, there is a trend for fathers to be more active in their children’s lives.

Again, below poem is from familypoems.com Karen K Boyer

Silent Strong Dad