My Thoughts on My Dad

Let me tell you about my dad. He has always been an amazing man. He’s been fun, and extremely out going. He and my mom taught me the gospel and taught me to love life and our beautiful world. He has always been my friend as well as a wonderful father.

That being said, sometimes, lately, I have had a real hard time being with him. As late as last weekend he was frustrating me to no end. Visiting him at the care center had become a negative experience because he is often not very pleasant to be around. He is depressed, angry, and negative about everything and everyone around him. I visit regularly, but I have gone away angry, frustrated or depressed. Seldom have I gone away happy that I had been able to spend time with him.

Well that all changed just a couple of days ago. My son Cameron, who was visiting dad with me, made a comment to me that was life changing. He told me to let dad say what he wants and to not try to correct him when he says things that are “off-the-wall.” He reminded me that I should just listen and not try to correct him. Roughly translated, I figured that means that I do not need to make “editorial comments.” Basically he was telling me to just let dad be happy. As I said, that was life changing for me. I’ve been thinking since then that maybe I have been more focused on my own needs, than I have on his.

Dad can no longer walk. He is frail and is in extremely poor heath. He has been diagnosed with dementia. Life, at least from a health point of view, really sucks! I can finally understand that it must be really hard for him to keep up a positive outlook when the life that he has always known is gone. The future is really scary for dad, and thankfully, for me, my perspective has now changed before it was too late.

I am now determined to make his remaining days as happy for him as possible. I will smile when I want to cry and I will hug him when I want to throw something. I will let him say what he wants to say, even if it doesn’t make sense; and above all, I will love him unconditionally and be grateful for any time that we still have together in this life. Dad is almost 87. He deserves that and more!

Thanks for everything dad! I love you.

I've Been Tagged by Jennilyn

What is your husbands full name? Melvin Joseph Davis, Jr. (Everyone in Wyoming calls him Melvin Joe)

How long have you been married? 18 months today (Hard to believe it's been that long already)

Who eats more sweets? We're both pretty good at it; but I think Mel wins.

Who said I love you first? Me, about 10 seconds before he proposed.

How old is he? 58 until this time next month.

Who is taller? Mel by 4 inches

Who is smarter? Spare me! He has an B.S. and I only have and A.S.; but that doesn't mean anything does it?

Who can sing better? Mel by far. He inherited his singing voice from his dad.

Who does the laundry? We both do. He will only fold his own clothes and not mine, though. I fold his when I do the laundry, so what's up with that?

Who pays the bills? I pay them, but he pays (get it?) for more of them.

Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? Me, so if a burgler comes in they will get me first. (What's wrong with that picture?) Actually it's cause we spoon better on our right sides.

Who mows the lawn? We both enjoy it. Yard work rocks!

Who cooks dinner? The little woman.

Who drives? Mel hates it when I drive. He thinks I'm a terrible driver. I think that I'm great of course.

Who kissed who first? Ah, I remember it well. We we sitting pretty close with his arm around me and looking into each other's eyes. We both went 50 percent. None of this 80-20 stuff that Hitch preachs.

Who asked who out? Ok, that's a loaded question. I guess that I did because I asked him how much he would charge me to get a room at the Prairie Inn.

Who has more siblings? Mel (has/had) 3. I have/had) 2

Who wears the pants? I wear slacks most of the time. Mel wears the pants.

I'm tagging Necha!

Mel's Marvelous Kids

Adam is my first born. He has always been out-going, charismatic and determined in any thing he does. He is an excellent athlete in multiple sports. I am impressed with what a wonderful father he is and how close he is to his children.

Matthew is my entrepreneur and the spiritual one. He impresses me with his financial expertise. He has great concern for his own family as well as his extended family. He has a beautiful singing voice. He is outgoing and amuses me with his quick wit.

Bryan was a shy child but quickly out grew it. He was and is a gentleman; and even as a child would hold the door for his sister. He is an excellent craftsman and a loving husband and father. He is a good example of not letting little things get him down.

Emily has a great love for children and is an excellent mother. She is health oriented, knowledgeable, and a great source of good advice. She was a gentle child and grew into a loving woman who helps to keep her extended family united.

Josh has always learned quickly. He has a vast knowledge of multiple things and he is willing share that knowledge. He is a leader/organizer and is fun to be with because he has such a happy disposition. He is an excellent father and an example of loving patience.

Charlotte was the caboose and her birth rounded out our family. All of her siblings got to watch her birth. She was shy and a gentle child. She has always been loved by her parents and siblings. She is a hard worker and a devoted mother.

Caribbean Cruise

In January we went on the vacation of a lifetime aboard the Norwegian Cruise Ship, Spirit. Mel and I looked forward to and planned for this trip for more than a year. The trip was extra special because Matthew and Sally, Alyssa and Randy, and lots of Randy's family were there with us. We departed out of New Orleans; and we spent our first night at the Oak Alley Plantation. After boarding the ship the next day, we sailed to Roatan and then Guatamala where we hiked to a waterfall. The next day we sailed to Belize, where we went cave tubing and played like monkeys in the trees. Our final destination was Cozumel where we enjoyed my favorite part of the trip, exploring the Tulum Mayan ruins and swimming in the Caribbean Sea.

Annette's Amazing Kids

Cameron always makes me laugh. He has a very unique sense of humor and can get you caught up in a story (that with a totally straight face) he is making up as he goes. His perseverance amazes me. Once he makes up his mind to do something, he does it and then never looks back.

I have always been able to count on Cory to be there for me. Even as a young boy, if I was crying or upset in anyway, he would drop what he was doing to curl up on my lap and comfort me. He has always been the responsible one and has been the first one there to help out with a project or help weigh out the pros and cons of any situation I was considering.

Alyssa is my soul-sister. It’s amazing to me how much we think alike. As a child I called her my sun because she was so happy and bright-eyed all of the time. She is empathetic and is led by the gospel. I enjoy talking to her because she can see things clearly and has a positive outlook on life.

The young Alayna was my moon. Her radiance was more quiet and serene than the sun; but every bit as beautiful. I found her to be quiet, pensive, more private than her siblings. She used to be timid; but lost that trait somewhere along the trail to adulthood. She now is extremely adventuresome and loves the outdoors. I’m still blown away that she got her private pilot’s license.

C.J. never ceases to amaze me. What he has accomplished with his life in the last two years boggles my mind. As a young man playing little league football he would have to diet to drop 10 or so pounds every season so that he could be a ball handler. He did it every time. He has brought that determination into his adult life and has reached goals that most people wouldn’t even consider possible.

Just getting started

Well at the urging of both Jeri Lynn and Jennilyn, I have decided to create this blog site. I'm looking forward to telling about Mel and me, and I hope that I can put together something that will be interesting. Looking at the blank site is overwhelming. I hope that I can make sense of it.