To commemorate his seventh birthday, I am going to share 70 memories... I think I can come up with that many.
1. My first memories of Daddy were when he would come home at lunch before I started school and eat... and then take a quick nap while he watched soap operas... It amazed me... but I love to do that too!
2. Daddy took me to school every day of my life until I could drive. He would kiss me bye every morning.
3. When I would get in my bed at night... I would yell at him to come turn my light off. (This was when I was 15 or 16 because I slept with Mama and Daddy until I was grown)
4. I remember sitting in a basketball arena and him being a tiny dot on the floor... I must have been real little.
5. I also remember the night he messed his knee up and the confusion of the night.
6. I can remember sitting in church when I was four or five and asking him why he didn't close his eyes when the preacher prayed... He told me you don't have to close your eyes to pray... he was right...
7. I remember my junior year of high school and being on the sidelines cheering...there was the one girl... she didn't understand football and would yell defense when we had the ball... well...that night... Daddy finally had her understand the game... She said, "I get it now... they have four chances to go ten yards"... It was an accomplishment.
8. Daddy took me to my first Masters when I was in the 2nd grade.
9. I went to my one and only Nascar race when I was in high school...Daytona... He told me to look redneck so I could fit in...
10. I remember him letting me drive when I was about 10 from Mary's house to the end of Lovelace Road.
11. He gave me the captain's award my senior year of high school at the award's banquet.
12. On a trip to Myrtle Beach ... the girls had a flat tire and he brought us a new car so we could keep on going!
13. He loves country music... one trip to Destin, FL a few years ago he sang Alan Jackson's gospel CD the entire way. Over and over and over again.
14. I get lots of my ways from him! The first... i can't commit to a team... I love lots of football teams... I am never a die hard/ or hater of any team... if the right situation comes along... I will pull for a team that I normally don't... I like the underdog.
15. I get my eating habits from him. We like a big piece of medium rare steak, a potato, and some buttered bread... the only thing he eats that I don't like is milk toast!
16. I get my butt, my legs, and my fingers from him. Everytime I look in the mirror I see them... and I smile... they are getting bigger and bigger... see #15
17. I get my humor from him. He's my daddy... I laugh at what he says, but lots of other people laugh at him too. He can make just about any situation funny...even those that aren't supposed to be.
18. Everyone thinks that I get being nosey from Mama... it's not... it's from him. He knows and wants to know so many things... Now that he has Facebook, he is on top of it all.... He can figure out a lot of stuff... and my favorite is watching him read all the status updates and talk about how stupid people are with putting their entire lives on facebook.
19. When I was little he would go get a salty dog at the legion and I would eat the ice... no one can make them like the legion!
20. He loves all his children... but I think I am his favorite... (that's just a filler for Jim and Guille to get fired up about...the humor in me)
21. I love that Saturday afternoons in the fall are spent at my house with my children and daddy... he always wants to know if I have a little cheese and crackers... and maybe a dip... it's a fun time of eating and dipping and laughing and making memories
22. I have called him to bring me a cup of sugar, some butter, or bread... and he does it!
23. He has been smoking since he was 14... Since April he has had an electronic cigarette... he smells much better! :)
24. When Daddy visits the doctor or the hospital... I feel like I need to go... he is too much like a child.... forgets things he should tell the doctor and doesn't ask questions that need asking.
25. When I was twenty... he grounded me for telling him I hated him... I met Mark during that time...
26. He worries about his grandchildren... he doesn't like them to be sick... and will hold them for shots, go get their medicine, or even get up with them and get them water (once) at night
27. He is a great taxi service... He has been driving my children to school in the mornings for the past six years... this year he hasn't had to do it as much, but he would ...if I asked him...
28. He loves a newspaper and a cup of coffee in the morning...
29. Heaven to him is being on the golf course... But... I'm like Bill Harrell... I think I might "cuss" if I hit that ball and it doesn't go where I want it to go. No cussin in Heaven.
30. He stayed with me when Ben was born... Ben was taken to the NICU and Daddy stayed with me... He said he was worried about me...
31. When I was pregnant with KB and having problems... he told me "the man upstairs" would take care of it... He did.
32. If I had to name what I am most proud about... I'm proud he married my mama... I'm proud they have stayed married for fifty years (next week)... and I'm proud of the three children they raised... somewhere... someone did something right.... These two have three children who have graduated from college, have jobs, have sense, and have goals in life... I hope I can do the same thing.
33. If I could change something about him... I would want him to go to church more. He has six grandchildren who love him more than life itself... seeing family in church is important...
34. My nickname is Buh... I like when he says, "Buh, How yer durin?".... Makes me smile!
35. If Daddy ever calls anyone "Bud"... that means he doesn't have a clue who they are... I can name over twenty times I have been with him and carried on conversations for about ten minutes and walk away... Daddy will say "I ain't got a clue who that was"... he puts on a good front!
36. He loves a television...but he doesn't have one in the bedroom... Mama said he would never get up if he did...
37. I can remember sitting with him and watching "Mash" growing up...
38. He loves him some FOX NEWS now... stays on that channel...
39. He sneaks and watches cowboy and indian movies too!
40. My favorite shows to watch with him (Mama hates them and rolls her eyes) are "Cops"... LOVE IT... and CHEATERS... When my children were litte and had to be fed at 11:00 PM... we would watch cheaters before they went to bed...
41. He lets me drive whereever we go now... but he holds on... like I am a reckless driver or something... I'm talented... I can eat, text, run the radio, and drive all at the same time.
42. I forgot to mention he loves the weather channel too! I call him the weather babe!
43. I remember when I was fifteen he bought me a little pink tv for my room...
44. I love his ability to a get ticket to sporting events...
45. He doesn't know how to put his socks in the dirty clothes, run the washing machine, or clean a bathroom... He has it made living with Mama
46. He used to be able to cook a mean steak... and a grilled hamburger... he has relinquished those duties to his children now
47. The only thing I have ever seen him cook is a fried egg sandwich... and that was once.
48. When I was in third grade and my grandddaddy was in the hospital... Mama wasn't at home... he picked out my clothes for me...it was navy pants and light blue shirt... i remember not really wanting to wear that... but i didn't want to hurt his feelings... I wanted to wear jeans
49. On my wedding day he told me not to bend over because my dress was too low cut.. It really wasn't.. he is just tall..
50. I am not sure Daddy has ever had a birthday party, but he doesn't care... I picked on him and said I was going to have a party for his birthday and Mama and Daddy's anniversay... they both had a fit... none of that!
51. I couldn't have made it as cheerleading coach without him... He ran more pictures back and forth to Mercer Harris than I can count... Saved us lots of money being our mailman!
52. The maddest I have ever been at him was also one of the times I have been the maddest at Mark... they left when KB was three weeks old to go to an Oyster Roast in McCormick... they were going to speak and come right back...they didn't get home until 2 in the morning... If I hadn't had a c-section... I would have killed them both. The car was missing a hubcap when they got home.
53. The funniest story I can think of right now... Jim and Guille used to race around the house one time before they would come in the house everytime we drove in the driveway.... When we drove up... it was late at night and Daddy told them not to do it... well... of course they did... he chased them... and fell .... his shoe ended up in the road because he hit a hole! I can't see the screen now for laughing...
54. The story isn't funny, but we laughed at him when he had hemmoroids.... every time he would move... he hollered... and we laughed... loved it!
55. One weekend when we went to my cousin's wedding in Nashville... Mama and I drug daddy to see Vince Gill at the Grand Ole Opry... he says he doesn't like him... but he really does!
56. When I was college, Mama, Daddy, and I went Daytona for a week... Guille, Boo-Ma, and Granny were coming later in the week... We made him go to movies with us... it was a double feature.. Ghost (Mama was in love with Patrick Swayze) and Days of Thunder.... the only other movie I have been to with both of them was Grease when it came out... I remember laughing because I heard the "S" word... I think I was four.
55. One time when I was in college... one of my friend's and I told Mama and Daddy we were going shopping at the mall... and then we were going to watch a movie at her house... we did neither... when I drove up at one AM ... her daddy was standing at the door... I was so scared... I just drove off... If ONLY... I had gone and talked to him... when I got home... Daddy asked me where I had been... I told him the mall and then watched a movie at her house... He laughed and said, "You better come up with another story before you make it to the back of the house because your mama already called and they haven't seen ya'll!"... ugh... telling a lie will get you every time!
56. Daddy is one of the most honest people I know... He has no filter and that can be a good thing... or a bad thing... depending on which end you are on!
57. Daddy was an excellent basketball player... I got none of his talents...
58. Daddy and I both agree that we like Faith Hill singing "Waitin all day on Sunday night" better than Carrie Underwood...
59. I am waiting on the newsletter from Rocky Branch... Daddy has gotten excited for the past fifteen years about getting to play from the black tees at the golf course... everytime he reached the age to use them... they upped it... this year I think he will make it! Waiting to see if they change the rules on him... it would be so funny if they did!
60. Daddy doesn't think too much of playing golf with ladies... if you hit a ball out of bounds... you don't get to look for it.. and if you are playing badly... he encourages you to just sit in the cart!
61. Daddy and I used to enjoy a Bloody Mary or a Coors Light with each other... we have gotten old... we are on sweet tea and water now... maybe a diet coke!
62. We fed him crawfish last month... he got the gout... our fault... I won't be cooking any shellfish for Saturdays anymore... He says he fell and Jim had to come pick him up... that makes me giggle... I laugh when people fall... I get it from him...
63. Daddy taught me how to eat a chili dog... you never pick it up... use a knife and a fork... load it up with chili and onions... and go get some rolaids!
64. Daddy is lucky to be here... he has a defibulator and pacemaker... I hope his batteries don't run out anytime soon...
65. This past year has been hard on me... I came home from an event where I got my feelings hurt... and Daddy started quoting Bible verses for me to put on Facebook... I was so impressed...
66. My favorite memories of growing up were when I was really little and we all lived at home... sometimes I wish we all lived at Mama's... I mean who wouldn't want to live there... but I like being here too! Wrestling on Sunday morning in Mama and Daddy's bed, eating breakfast together, and fighting... those are fun times!
67. Daddy's nickname is "Ole Dad"... not sure where it came from, but we all know him as that... a few others but not for children to be reading in later years!
68. He calls me every year... usually a week before Christmas... and tells me to get Mama something real nice... sounds like Cousin Eddie on Christmas Vacation
69. Mark's first memory of my daddy was at McCormick Country Club... His daddy took him to watch this "really good player"... it was Daddy... Mark remembers holding his headcover for him. When I started dating Mark... he told me that everyone has one thing wrong with them... He says Mark's one thing is that he went to Clemson... But I bet my house Daddy will be here Saturday pulling for the Tigers.
70. I'm a Daddy's girl... and I can't imagine my life without him. I know I'm lucky... I know I brag about how special he is to me... I know I am blessed... I also know that he is going to be 70 tomorrow and I didn't want to miss this special birthday! Happy birthday Butchie! Love you!
