Dear Dad,

You have been gone for 11 years, but sometimes I feel like it was just a few days ago when I was on the farm with you. I can remember just like it was yesterday, walking down to the field where you were on the tractor. Sometimes I would bring you a thermos with water or lemon aid and we would rest under the tree. After a little break, we would get back on the tractor and I would sit on the wheel well while you plowed.

You were really good at making up silly rhymes. "Becky, Becky eyes of blue..., oh, you're eyes aren't blue" then you would say "Becky, Becky eyes of brown, sweetest girls for miles around." You even made up your own rhyme for your nieces and nephews: "Uncky Spunky was a bear, Uncky Spunky has no hair." Then you would pretend to be all upset when they would say it about you.

I know you would love your grandchildren. You always wanted a boy and I know you were so happy when Nick came along. You finally had your boy. I know the circumstances of his birth weren't the best but you didn't condemn me or throw me out, you still loved me and Nick.

They say that girls marry men who are like their father. I never really believed in that too much and always thought "God forbid!" Mike and I have been married for 12 years and the longer I'm with him, the more I see the resemblance to you. I am proud of that. I think you would be proud of us Dad. We are living for God and are raising our kids to love God and have their own relationship with Him.

We didn't always have a lot of money and you worked very hard for what we did have. Your motto was "5:30 comes early." You had to get up early to feed the cows and chickens and then get to work at the pudding factory. You literally worked from sun up to sun down.

There are so many things I would like to be able to say to you in person. I didn't listen to you a lot of the time, now I wish I would have valued my time with you. You were a wonderful Dad. I know I didn't say "I love you" enough. I would like another opportunity to say that.

I love you Dad.
Your one and only, Becky Boo