5:36 A.M. - Sunday, Jun. 18, 2006
Honor our Fathers
I was lucky while growing up that my dad took all seven of us on vacation every year. Have you ever seen one of those movies with 5 kids making faces at passing cars from the inside of a station wagon�that was us.

I can still recall walking around the Island of Long Boat Key, cutting our feet on barnacles exploring the waters along the coast, the loooong bridge taking us to the Keys, horse back riding through the Smoky Mountains, getting a passport and crossing the border into Mexico, snow angels in the sand, the changing of the dunes, smells of pancakes and bacon on a Coleman stove, crunching leaves beneath our feet in the fall while out hiking, swinging on vines from trees, houses on stilts down South a break from the cold Northern winters, building the biggest snow man ever also building an igloo after a winter storm, playing base ball in the yard, all seven of us coming out of a little box while dad made a home movie, saying grace at bed time, a table made from a door with benches to sit on so we all have a meal together, hearing my mom say, "just wait until your dad gets home," stories of the "good ole days," our first boat and learning to swim, seeing the Ripley's Believe It or Not museum while taking pictures of dads feet in funny white paper socks, singing A Hundred Bottles of Beer on the Wall while traveling to help make the time go by, drive in movies when swings were out front, home made ice cream you had to turn the crank and wait, listening to the Indy 500 in the yard while dad cooked on the grill, oh�so many childhood memories that will last a life time.

I thank my dad for working two jobs during his life to help make dreams come true, and memories that will never die.

While back glancing through our child hood we can find those precious times, they are not really so far away.

We can all find fault with our pasts ones we create and things others spin the dial for us. For me I chose to capture the collections in life that bring a smile and laughter. I hope everyone gives honor to all fathers that did the best they could in their moment in time, just as we all do when our eyes open and take our first breath to a wakening day.

I thank God each day for allowing us all seven of us, dad, mom, sister, three brothers, and I for still having the chance to count blessing, past and present. Can you imagine if we all got back in a station wagon and started to drive?

Which one of us would make faces at the passing cars?

"I will, I will!"

Happy Father Day to all dads, even little things make beautiful memories.

Sandyz

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