Father's Day 2009

I talked with my dad today, wished him a happy Father's Day and then spent most of the time talking with mother. My dad is 89 and can't hear very well. He was never able to adjust to hearing aids, so talking with him for the past few years has been very difficult. There is so much I would like to talk with him about, but it is almost impossible.

He gave us a scare last week. His lungs filled with fluid and he was admitted to the hospital with pneumonia and congestive heart failure. He is home today, weak, but recovering. The doctor told my mom he will not recover fully because his body is tired, and he cannot handle any procedures that will strain his heart. Even though she didn't say the exact words, I could hear her telling me that this is probably the "beginning of the end."

A couple of weeks ago we were in San Jose, my birthplace, on vacation. We stopped there specifically to show my children where I grew up. When I was one year old, my parents purchased a brand new home in a new part of town. They were small homes, but to a young child, I remembered a huge yard and a big house. I had a wonderful upbringing there. My dad worked hard, but had plenty of time for his children. I always had a tremendous sense of stability, calm and peace because of him. He taught me by example, letting me work with tools to accomplish tasks, showing me how to care for our year, observing him do things that I needed to learn. He has the unique skill to figure out how to fix things, or make things, with materials that are easy to get and inexpensive. Learning this from him has been invaluable for me. As we pulled up to our old house, I didn't recognize it at first. It was so small, the yard was small, and it was so run down. When we lived there, it was always in perfect shape. In spite of the condition of the house, so many memories welled up in me. I hope that some day my children will pull up in front of their childhood homes and have the same great memories.

I have been blessed with a wonderful father. I love him so much. He may not be with us much longer, but he is ready to see his Father. Happy Father's Day, dad.