Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day everyone! I hope you all (all seven or so of you :)) have had the chance to talk to your dad today....or even better....hug them! Robby and I are headed over to my Grandma and Grandpa Bear's later today for a little Father's day BBQ so I'm excited to get to spend a little time with my Dad. In honor of this day I thought I would write a little something about three of the best fathers I know! :)

First up, my Grandpa Bear! My Grandpa Bear is my Dad's dad. We have always called him Grandpa Bear because when we were little they had a big old lab named Bear and we always wanted to go see "Grandma Grandpa Bear." Apparently my sister and I liked to leave out the "ands" and eventually it just became Grandma and Grandpa Bear, even after that lovable old pooch was gone. I've never been a big "big" dog person...but I loved that dog. Probably because all it did was lay in the corner on a big fluffy pillow. Anyways, back to my Grandpa. A couple fun things about Grandpa Bear....he picks out some of the best birthday cards! I tend to keep almost every card I ever get...some call it unnecessary or hoarding (Robby) but I like to randomly find them in drawers because they make me happy...even years after I get them. There are some I have gotten from G & G Bear that I have been very intentional about keeping because they have such great pieces of advice in them. I love that. My Grandpa Bear is one of the genuinely happiest people I know. He always starts prayers out with "Thank you Thank you Thank you"....he never fails to tell us how blessed he thinks he is and I love that about him. Another thing about Grandpa Bear is that he makes the best fires ever. Ever. One of my favorite places to be in in their living room, plopped down in front of a crackling fire. I love the sounds, the smells, and just that whole room in general. There is usually golf or football on the TV...snacks on the table...stockings along the whole mantel (at Christmas!) and lots of family every where. Love it.

 I thought this picture was appropriate for Father's Day...me dancing with my Grandpa, and Bets dancing with my Dad (with my veil on...haha...I'm pretty sure she wore it most of the night.) This photo and the one of my Grandpa and I dancing up above were both taken by the WONDERFUL Annie Werner!

Next is my Poppy. It makes me tear up even writing this because I miss my Poppy so much. Poppy is my Mom's Dad and I grew up thinking that he pretty much walked on water...I still do. Probably in part to the way I have seen my Mimi, my Mom, and my aunts look up to him and love him. Poppy grew up around ladies (three sisters, one brother!) and then of course my mom is one of four girls....so him living in a house with five ladies for so long made him one of the most understanding people ever. I laugh at the story when my Dad first went out to Stockton to meet my mom's family and all the ladies were just running around trying to find something or get ready or just get out the door (they are loud and chaotic at all times and while that can result in some high stress moments, I love it) and my Poppy told my dad that he learned long ago just to sit in the car and wait...they will come when they are ready. So they just sat in the car and waited. :) Poppy was a small town doctor and farmer. He had pictures of us up at his clinic and I always felt famous because he would say "Charlotte, everybody asks about you when they come here...they all think you are just the prettiest little girl and I tell them, 'Well of course she is.'" The idea of "all" his patients seemed like so many when I was little...even though Stockton's population is only around 1,500. I have wonderful memories fishing, flying kites, and riding in my Poppy's old black and brown SUV (Was it a bronco, Mom?). About three months before Poppy passed away, Bets and I decided to take an impromptu trip out to Hays to see him while he was in the hospital. We left Lawrence at around 5:30 and didn't get to Hays until about 9:30. We surprised Poppy at the hospital right as he was getting his late snack. He asked the nurses to "find more cheese and ice cream for my roommates here." Bets and I couldn't stop laughing. We spent the night there, sleeping on a tiny pull out twin bed in his room. We spent all day Saturday hanging out with him before having to head back. I loved that time with just my sister and my Poppy. And finally, one more memory....family reunions...my cousins and I loved those family reunions! Poppy would bring rolls and rolls of quarters so we could play the video games and ride on the little airplane thinger-ma-jig at the Salina Red Coach Inn. And when we would go ask for quarters we would have to say "YA-HOOO"....I know you can't hear me saying it over this blog...but I am. Poppy always said "YA-HOOO" in the coolest way and he "taught" us all to do it, too. :) Just like the rest of my family...I miss my Poppy every day!

At Poppy's clinic!

 Just missing baby Joe!

The Mauck 8 with our Mimi and Poppy. 

Christmas 2007...Poppy loved the color red!

And last but certainly NOT least! My own father...my Daddio. Hands down, best father I every could have asked for. My dad is the peacemaker in our family...maybe because he argues and negotiates for a living, I truly think he has the most rational way of looking at things sometimes. I can remember fighting over clothes with Betsy in high school (a fairly regular occurence) and my Dad would come out and work us through our argument in this rational way that annoyed me because half the time I realized I was being ridiculous (the other half of the time it was Betsy...well maybe 60% of the time it was Betsy:)) and I hated that he had just proved me wrong in the most rational and understanding of ways without even raising his voice. Not that he never raised his voice....haha...just ask any of my family about Christmas Break two years ago (Robby's first with the family!) and Tedder's little jail break. My dad definitely raised his voice...although we laughed then and we still laugh about it now. When I was little I would take turns going to work with my mom and dad a couple times a week. Probably one of the coolest things ever since my mom worked at the Cosmosphere (private movies in the planetarium...yes, please!) and my Dad was city prosecutor at the time. I would hide underneath the judge's desk eating my snack listening to him work. Like with my Poppy, I thought my dad was famous and felt famous by default. Clearly as a little girl my family led me to believe I was some sort of super star. :) Even though if I had really been listening I would have realized not everybody in that courtroom loved my Dad like I did....the city prosecutor isn't always the most popular of people. :) But alas, I was blinded by a little girl's love for her dad. In between cases I would play "waitress" and run around with my little pad of paper to doodle on and take people's orders. Again....felt like a super star. But that is the great thing about my Dad...even now...when I KNOW (or kind of know) that I'm not famous or a super star...he makes me feel like I am or should be. :) One more quick, kind of funny memory that I don't think I'll ever forget. Right after my Dad walked me down the aisle, we are standing at the front of the church and I'm trying not to cry or be too emotional (which is tough...I'm emotional...both my mom and dad are, too...so really I'm double emotional if there is such a thing) and my Dad leans over and says "So did you hear KU lost today...darnit." And I just started laughing. It totally took the edge off and helped me to relax and enjoy the rest of the ceremony. I doubt he even meant to or realized he did that...but he did...and I love him for it.

Not too long after the KU football line...I love that we are smiling back at my Momma, that Rob is smiling at us, and that Alan is smiling at him. Love me some smiles. Thanks for such a great picture, Annie Werner.

 Even though I'm not looking, I love this pic...my mom looks so beautiful, and my dad looks so young.

What? Is Betsy pouting? That's weird. :)

 

 Just realized I don't have any pics of my dad with the boys...oops...oh well. Love this photo...I wonder if Betsy and I had already helped ourselves to some candy. :)

 Back when I used to actually want to do yard work. I'm sure I was a huge help. :)

Needless to say, I am a pretty blessed girl. I have grown up with the best father and grandfathers anybody could ask for. And not a day goes by that I don't thank the good Lord for choosing me to be their daughter and granddaughter.