The picture to the left is of my sister Sandy and my father.  I love this picture because it reminds me of how tender my father was.  Although I was only 3 when the divorce happened my dad stayed active in our lives until my mom remarried.  I can remember crying myself to sleep so many nights when I was a little girl because I missed my dad.  When we spent the weekends with our dad he would take us everywhere with him.  My dad would say, if my kids can’t come I won’t come.  It has been less than 3 months since he has passed and how I wish I could see him one more time and tell him how much I love him.  I know that it was from my dad that I got my love for animals, especially dogs.  I can remember when a friend of my dads had a dog that had puppies.  When we left the house we each (my sister, brother and I) had a puppy.  I still remember mine, a black lab named Tippy.  Of course when we tried to come home to our mom’s house with 3 puppies she said no way! My dad took them to my grandparents farm and we would see them on the weekends.  I can also remember when we spent time with dad we each got 3 kittens, 3 rabbits and I am not sure what else we talked him into.  Dad was a softy.  I can never remember getting a spanking from him, usually we just knew we did wrong and that was enough for dad.  I can still picture him drinking coffee and eating a cookie.  My most cherished memory of my time with dad was when I was a little girl and I was sitting on his lap not wanting to miss anything but having my head on his chest and hearing his deep voice in my ear.  Before I knew it, I was fast asleep with the sound of his heart next to mine.  I called todays blog doubly blessed because I did have the honor to have a step-dad that provided a very nice life for me.  He married my mom when I was only 6, my sister was 9 and my brother was 4.  He took on a lot when he married my mom and I am so grateful he became my step-dad.  Although I never called him Dad, he treated us as though we were his own.  I don’t know how my life would have turned out without the guidance of Ronnie.  He was a tough disciplinarian, but the three of us kids never got into any trouble and he is the greatest grandpa to my 4 children.  So as I think about this Father’s Day, I miss my dad but I am also thankful that my mom and step-dad will be celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary this August.