Some of my favorite childhood memories are right here, sitting on the back porch of my grandparents' house in Montgomery, while Big Daddy smoked his pipe, talking and playing and laughing and learning and solving the world's problems. Because if you know him, you know that's one of his specialties. One of the perks of being the oldest grandchild is that you get to name your grandparents. Well, I guess some name themselves but I was bossy and did it myself. Anyways, the affectionately christened Big Daddy turned 80 this past weekend! I thought it would be fun to share a few pictures and memories and publicly wish him a happy birthday! I promise I'll try not to get too sentimental and reminisce my the past 22 years, because that could be a book rather than a blog post.
Big Daddy, thanks for patiently pretending to be a patient and laying on the brick steps outside while I gave you countless "shots." Thanks for sending me a medal that year in grade school when I was sad to be the only one of my friends without one. I'm glad I'm still your favorite brown-eyed granddaughter. Thanks for taking me to see the state capitol and all the other Montgomery historical buildings so I'd have a head start on the other fourth graders for our class trip. Thanks for reading me the Hardy Boys out loud and defining all the words I didn't know. Thanks for reminding me that it is the War Between the States or the War of Northern Aggression, and never ever the Civil War. Thanks for beating me in Monopoly in a half hour more times than I can count, and reminding me to use at least four of those five fouls in basketball. Thanks for teaching me to drive in the church parking lot when I was fourteen, and being patient when my parking was horrendous. Thanks for teaching me to love learning, and that education doesn't stop with a cap and gown. Thanks for always keeping up with what's going on in my life. Even when y'all lived 3 hours away you both made it to sporting events every year. Thanks for being my biggest fan, and for praying for me every day of my life. I am so incredibly blessed to have you as my grandfather!
This is my family with Nana and Big Daddy at their 50th wedding anniversary party, about 3 years ago.
My brothers and I with the grandparents at their new house in Birmingham.
Big Daddy was really really sick a few months before our wedding. But his goal was to walk down the aisle by himself on August 10th, and he made it!
This is the whole crew at Christmas this year, the last time we were all together!
The thing I've been humbled by the most as I've been sitting here thinking about this, is that I didn't have to be a part of this family. My mom is adopted. It's not something that is a big deal to us, she's known as long as she can remember. People used to tell her she looked just like her dad, and they'd just smile. But when I remember that, I am blown away with gratitude that the Lord gave her these parents. Because of her parents, my mom doesn't remember a day when she didn't know Christ, and because of her and my dad, neither do I. What a marvelous work of grace in our lives, what a clear picture of the Gospel I have seen through this - that they loved my mom at her weakest, as a little baby that nothing to give back to them. How much more does our heavenly Father love and delight in us, not because of how much we do for him, but because He is love.
So happy 80th birthday Big Daddy! I love you so very much!
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