For You Dad

Growing up my parents were members to a local car club. Ok, not just members, the car club was a good portion of my dad’s life. My dad bought his “baby” when I was one and shortly after joined the club. My brother and I grew up in this club. We worked the club’s events in the summer and on Sunday’s we went to car shows. Well into our adult life’s it was still expected of us to work the car show even though we were not actual members. It was just a matter of time before my brother and I were made members just a few years ago.

Yesterday was our annual car show. It was a bitter sweet show for all of this. This year it was in remembrance of my father who for the better part of his club career was the club president. And the be very honest, he made the club what it is today. For the last few years we have been trying to rebuild our show, trying to break 300 cars. This year we did that. We had a beautiful day, sunny high 80’s, and we had one of our largest shows ever. I wish my dad could have seen it. He would have loved it.

This past week I began to dread this day. It hit me that I hadn’t fully realized how hard this day was going to be, and how much I really miss my dad. After a club meeting I asked The Hubs to take a ride to the cemetery where I completely broke down. It still doesn’t feel real that he is gone. It doesn’t feel like he should be gone. It hits me all to often that he really is gone and we won’t see his smiling face riding around the grounds of the show in the golf cart. He won’t be at the family picnic this year telling stories and drinking his jack and coke.

This month was 6 months that he has been gone and it kills me every day that he is no longer here. It kills me every day that my daughter won’t know this amazing man. We show her pictures all the time and she can show you who grandpa is, but she will never know him or remember him.

This year it was decided that our club would give out an award in memory of my father. My mom and brother walked the show yesterday and my mom picked out the car. She decided on a car that was just like the first car they had owned before they were even married. The car that got them interested in cars and basically started what was the rest of my father’s life. My mom picked a baby blue Thunderbird. Honestly the best car for this award.

And to The Hubs who made an amazing tribute song to my father, who would have loved it, you didn’t leave a dry eye any time you played it. My father would have truly been so proud of you. You did an absolutely amazing job yesterday. And thank you, for someone who had no interest in cars when we met, you are now a member of the car club and work the events and have great ideas, and may even hold an office come the end of this year. You are an amazing man.

This one was for you dad and I hope we did you proud yesterday!