The Celebration

This is a big day here on leeway, peeps.  Not only is it Mother's Day, it's my dad's 85th birthday! Happy Mother's Day Mom!  Happy Birthday Dad!  I'm remembering a lot of great times today.  Here are a few standouts, presented in a bulleted list:
  • Remember the times we used to camp in the Everglades in that huge tent that held a family of 9? 
  • And remember the times we hiked through cool National Parks in the east and in the west?  
  • And remember the pool parties we used to have where everyone would play raucous games of water polo and long tables would be set up end to end along the patio?  
  • And remember how everyone was always welcome at our house and we always had extra friends at every gathering?
  • And remember how we always used to buy doughnuts on Sunday after church?  And go bowling?
  • And remember the year when Danny and his friends all lived in our garage?  
  • And remember the tons of times you drove up to Bloomington and you helped do so many trillions of things for us?  
  • And remember the times you used to play scrabble and all of us kids would sit around and watch you? 
  • And remember the times we would travel in our green VW bus and all sing songs together?
  • And remember the times we would stop off at our nation's rest areas to take breaks from our long drives and that one time when you left me at a rest area and drove off without me but luckily found me later, walking along by myself crying in a strange city's streets?  Good times!
  • And remember all the Christmas mornings when we couldn't wait any longer and we got up so early and the living room was packed to the gills with gifts for 7 kids and we all opened presents together and you both acted so surprised to see what Santa had brought us? 
These are just a few of the times I'm thinking about today, with so much love and thanks.  Can not wait to see you, most wonderful Parents.  As Dad says, "We're on short time now!"

Comments

Anonymous said…
I even remember some of these events!! Yay! Happy MD!!!! And Happy 85 birthday to you, Dan!
Who took this pic of Ros? I've never printed a pic from FB but with this one I'm gonna try.
jw
mm said…
Happy B-day to your dad!
Unknown said…
I've been happy to read your wonderful post dedicated to your parents.

So many good memories crossed my mind while reading you! Same events (we were seven children). My parents forgot me at a pic-nic place on the beach! I stood there for hours. I was 3 then.
Dad and Mom would be 83. So, I thank you for this wonderful message of love to your parents!
Happy Birthday Mr Heffernan!
Anonymous said…
Happy Mother's Day and Happy Birthday to Dan! What great memories and stories! Those snippets made me smile! I love family stories like that!
N
KC said…
Happy B-Day, Mr. H! And, I love the memory list. With 7 kids, I can see how your parents might accidentally leave one behind. But, I imagine after that incident with the rest stop, they instituted a new counting protocol??

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