In Memory of Our Fathers...

This was a collage I framed for my own dear father the Christmas before

he passed away...now it hangs proudly in my home...full of  his memories, photos,

and army memorabillia. -maureen

If you haven't figured it out yet, there are 2 of us doing this blog.  My dear friend Shanti, (who is the Twig in this blog) and myself, (the Toadstool).  Shanti and I are united in our love of creating, homeschooling our daughters, (we each have 2 girls),  and trying to be positive forces in this world.  We are also united though in the loss of our own dear fathers.  Today in honour of Fathers Day, we'd like to share a little something about these men who raised us.

Some pictures of my dear old dad!!

My own father passed away suddenly 6 years ago, (he had a massive heart attack in his sleep).  I can recall as a child that my own father, and all the dads in our neighbourhood just seemed larger than life.  These men were all working class, salt of the earth, "have a beer in the garage after work", kind of dads.  And like my own father, underneath their rough, gruff exteriors, there often lay a heart of gold.

My dad did his best with the hand he was dealt.  His own father died when he was a little boy and as a result his childhood was less than idyllic. Knowing this gave me empathy for this man, as we didn't always see eye to eye.  One of my last encounters with my father was a disagreement, (over something pretty mundane), but somehow it just seemed fitting.

I am alot more like my father than I'd like to admit.  My boughts of grouchiness, need for control, (I can be pretty bossy), and my potty mouth, those are all straight from this man...I call it the "Bob MacMillan Reflex".  But, then there is the kindness, creativity, the need to help anyone in distress, and strong work ethic...these are also inherited from my dear old dad!!

If I stop to think about it, it still feels surreal to not have him here with us.  I'd love for my dad to give me some of his common sense advise,  to help us build our addition, (he was a great carpenter), and to spend time spoiling my kids with his famous purchase of giant, oversized stuffed toys, (which at age 67 he couldn't resist). 

I thank this man for giving me life, and I do miss him so...

In gratitude for fathers everywhere.

-maureen

In honor of my father Don... 

 Country Don 

Father's Day is one of those days in the year that the raw ache of missing my dad surfaces. We lost him to a rare disease in 1997 after a double lung and heart transplant. He left behind eight children ~ the youngest being only 7.  It was a very difficult loss for our clan and to this day his presence is deeply missed in our lives. 

I  find myself looking for the silver lining in hard times ~ often fueled by the power of gratitude. With this missing piece in my life, the silver lining  lies in the gift of my family. We created and  found such closeness and solace in each other during our time of his illness and after his death. We now have such deep ties that keep our family close, even at a distance.

I carry gratitude for the man that he was and the inspiration he offered...a passionate man, a dreamer with all the zeal to follow it through, a man that loved and honored his wife deeply and made sure we knew, a man with unshakeable faith, a man who loved to laugh and be the goof, a man who was willing to reveal his weaknesses and ask for help, a man who loved to make music and a man who valued family above all else. I see his legacy shine on in my beloved clan and in the emerging firey personality in my girls.  For this I am grateful.

My mother re-married a few years ago and we welcomed a new man into our lives (as well as his six kids- now adults). He found the path into my heart with his gentle presence and support. I am grateful to have a man in my life that is grandpa to my girls, loves my mother and is an integral, beautiful part of our clan.

Finally, I can not do a father's day post without expressing my gratitude to my love and father of my girls. He is a fabulous papa, who fathers with tenderness, creativity, humor, intimacy, devotion and abounding love. We are so blessed... 

  You know, fathers just have a way of putting everything together.
~ Erika Cosby
 

Donny 

These amazing water color paintings of my father were done by my very talented sister Emily. She recently graduated from Emily Carr in B.C. and now has the world awaiting her gifts. You can check out her work here!

Love to you all, as you honor the father's in your life today

~ Shanti~