Dad C.

Two weeks ago today my father-in-law passed away quietly in his sleep. It goes without saying that Gigi and I miss him terribly but we are grateful too for the time we did have with him.

I've known Dad now for 18 years. I cannot even believe it's been that long. I still remember meeting my future in-laws for the first time - dinner at their house. A pressure situation for me being that Gigi and I had only been dating about 2 months. I asked her what she had told her parents about me and she said "I told them we worked together and that you were tall with long dark hair and played drums in a rock band." Yeah, I thought, this will go over great with a former Navy man and blue collar worker.

But it did, and from the first day he treated me like his own son. As time went on I built up "points" (all in fun of course) by agreeing with him on things, or making suggestions he thought were wise, and I also lost points by agreeing to take in another dog or cat (which he really loved) or by buying a Ford.

We leaned on him when needed and later helped out where we could. It was the kind of relationship I imagine many are lucky enough to have with their own parents/in-laws and many more probably wish they did. In that I can count my blessings and know that I was fortunate.

We miss you Dad. Thank you again for everything. Love -

* In honor of Memorial Day, I thought it fitting to post a couple of his Navy pictures. In the first, he is on the far right. Below, the far left with the Clark Gable mustache.