Happy Father's Day!

Dear Dad:

Happy Father's Day!

I tell you pretty often that I love you.  I don't tell you often enough WHY I love you.

Of course, I love you because you're my dad.  But really, being my dad doesn't have that much to do with it.  There are so many other reasons.  I am going to list a few, but only a few.  The whole list is so long that even you would be bored about halfway through.

I love you because you are a great husband.  You love Mom so much and you are not afraid to say so.  Because of you, I have a great husband.  I didn't settle for some asshole who would treat me like shit because I KNOW how a wife is supposed to be treated.

I love you because you aren't going to get all bent out of shape because I used the words "asshole" and "shit" in my letter to you. 

I love you because you really live our faith and don't just go to church because you should.  You love Jesus, and it shows.  You love the Church, and it shows.  You respect others' right to worship as they please -- and it shows.

I love you because you are really really fun to be with.  You have such a zest for life.  Remember when you came up to Madison to take me to the Ohio-Wisconsin game?  Remember how Wisconsin won and no one could believe it?  When the fans streamed on to the field, you ran out with them.  And we danced the polka and cheered and laughed and then went out on the town and drank beer until midnight. That remains one of my most precious memories.

I love you because you are so resilient.  Life has belted you in the chops more than once.  But you never let it keep you down.  You always keep God and family front and center, so when things get rough, you are able to weather through it.  I thank God for your example.

I love you because you never got bent out of shape about things like me burning out the transmission on your new car or me getting the car towed to Cabrini Green in the middle of the night or me promising a friend a ride to Barrington without asking you first. 

I love you because you totally supported me moving to LA after college even though it probably wasn't the most prudent thing to do. 

I love you because you are a wonderful Grandpa.

I love you because you are wonderful Father in Law.

I love you because you are a wonderful Man.

Happy Father's Day Dad!

Also, because you are handsome.  Love you!

Enjoy Heaven, Jiji

One of the things I love about my husband is his family.

His sisters are the greatest girls -- smart, witty and just plain fun to be around.  They each married great guys and when we get together there is always a ton of laughing and story telling. 

His parents have always been wonderful to me.  They have been kind, generous and supportive of us from day one.  When people kvetch about in-laws?  I got nothing.  Mine are wonderful.  I hope I can be as good a Mother in Law as Greg's mom is to me. 

I call them Mom & Dad, even though no one would ever confuse them for my biological parents.  It must be kind of funny watching our family get out of a car -- first come all these dark headed kids, then Greg's petite Asian sisters, then small white haired mom, little wiry dad, dark Greg & then here comes the big red Irish girl.  Who cares?  I love them like my own parents.

My boys love their grandparents.  They call his dad Jiji, which is Japanese for "Gramps".  They call his mom Gramma, which is English for "Grandma".

Jiji went to heaven on Friday.

I'm happy for him.

Jiji loved Jesus, his wife, his grandkids, his garden and his kids.  In that order. 

Jiji was gentle.

Every time I hear the Beatitudes, I think of him. 

Jiji was simple.

Christ said to have the Faith of a Child, and Jiji had the Faith of a Child.

Jiji was humble.

He never let you know any of his accomplishments, but Jiji spoke three languages, was an avid baseball player, a WWII vet and travelled the world.

Jiji was industrious.

He was a gardener by trade.  He was a gardener by passion.  His yard was so beautifully maintained it should have been featured on HGTV.  He used his trade to make sure all three of his kids got good college educations so they wouldn't have to work as gardeners. 

Jiji was grateful.

He would say things like "So lucky my wife married me".  "So lucky the kids so healthy".  "So lucky have 5 grandchildren".  So lucky. 

Jiji -- we are the lucky ones. 

Enjoy heaven, Jiji.  Enjoy heaven, Dad.