Dear Daddy,

Three years today...but it seems like much longer sometimes. Time has lessened the pain, but the hole is still there. Today is Thanksgiving and Mama is here with us. I sure wish you were too. You would have loved Johnice's cornbread dressing we ate at our Thanksgiving lunch today. And we had a Turducken tonight when our friends came over. You would have liked that too I bet. I wonder if you celebrate holidays there? Or birthdays? Or are you just too busy for such things? I wonder. I thought it would be harder having mama here today, but it has been okay. I talked to her and tried to make sure she was okay, and she seemed to be. I hope she really is. She has been amazing since you have been gone. It has been hard for her, but she has done really well I think.

I wonder if you know how much I have struggled with so many things lately? I wonder what your advice for me would be? Sometimes when I am trying to go to sleep I think about you in hopes that you will visit me in my dreams and we can just talk and you can tell me everything is going to be ok. I wish you could write me a letter. I wish I could just see your smiling face and hear one of your corny jokes. I wish you could give me a father's blessing. I wish.


You know something that I have worried about is my children forgetting you because they were all so young when you died, especially John David. But, a month or so ago, he was at the freezer getting a popsicle, and out of the blue, just said, "Grandaddy likes popsicles." I said, "Yes, he does. Grandaddy LOVES popsicles!" I wonder how he knows that? He was only 9 months old when you died. I wonder. I hope you know I still miss you every single day. I hope you know how much I love and respect you. I hope you know how grateful I am to be your daughter. I love you always Daddy!

Lynetta