Today we celebrate my dad’s 86th birthday. It’s been a rough year for my family, with mom in the hospital twice. I’ve made four trips to Pennsylvania so far to visit with mom and dad, and I’ve treasured every one of them. The older I get, the more I value my time with them. It’s not that I haven’t appreciated the time spent in the past. It’s knowing that time is finite.
For the past few days, I’ve had fun scouring images – snapshots of moments with my dad to commemorate this day. I share this blog with others, but for me, it’s a cross between a photo album and a diary. These pictures are no longer stuck in a cupboard but can be enjoyed. I know more moments are captured on film, and I’ll likely add to this gallery as I uncover them.
Happy Birthday, Dad! Congratulations on another trip around the sun! See you in September!
Dad, click on the image for a larger view and to open up the slideshow!
1964
Me with dad on my first Christmas in Okinowa
1965
Dad on R&R from Vietnam when we lived in Okinowa
October 1967
Halloween at Chittenango, NY
1969
1969 in Punxsutawney with my grandma Jordan
1977
Fairfax, Virginia during my “awkward years”
1980
At the Pentagon when dad was promoted to Colonel
1981
A family reunion
1983
New Cumberland Army Depot – I was in college at the time
December 1986
Christmas in Mechanicsburg, PA
1988
Christmas in Mechanisburg, PA
1989
1989 Norwich University class reunion trip I took with dad
1989
1989 Norwich University class reunion trip I took with dad
1989
1989 Norwich University class reunion – Montpelier Airport – dad posing with the plane he flew when he studied aviation in college
1990
Visit to Gettysburg with dad
May 1990
Tres high school graduation
1993
St. Louis family reunion – I may have gotten my shutterbug tendencies from dad
1990-91
1990-91 – Tres graduation from something!
1994
Mechanicsburg, PA – Tres and Aaron with dad and me
July 1997
Dancing with dad at my wedding
July 1997
Dad giving Paul’s design the Sagamore Tender a test drive with Aaron
July 1997
Dad fishing with Aaron at the Cape Cod Canal
July 1997
Dancing with dad at my wedding
July 1997
Dad following the scenic flight I gave him for his birthday (that put him in the hospital – but that’s another story)
July 1997
Dad walking me down the isle when I married Paul
July 1997
My all time favorite picture of dad and me at my wedding
December 1998
Dad opening the stained glass U.S. Seal I made for him for Christmas
August 1999
Dad holding baby Hannah for the first time
August 1999
Dad holding Hannah for the first time
December 1999
Hannah’s first Christmas at mom and dad’s house
Fall 2000
Dad with Hannah when she stayed with them while Paul and I were in Washington
July 2002
Dad and Hannah waiting to join a Canal Cruise on Cape Cod
May 2013
An outing dad and I did to Waggoner’s Gap in PA
April 2010
Hannah and dad on a trip to Gettysburg during spring break
April 2014
Dad and Hannah during a spring break trip to Philadelphia
2014
Dad and Hannah at the Army Heritage Center in Carlisle PA
2014
Dad and Hannah at the Army Heritage Center in Carlisle PA
2014
Dad and Hannah at the Army Heritage Center in Carlisle PA
June 2017
Dad at the top of Pigeon Hill in Steuben, Maine
June 2017
Dad and I at the top of Pigeon Hill
June 2017
Following Hannah’s graduation from Narraguagus High School
May 2021
Our family outside mom and dad’s house following Hannah’s graduation from Denison University
January 2022
A visit home when mom was in the hospital
May 2022
A happier visit home to Mechanicsburg in May
So enjoyed the photos. Quite the man he is.
I loved all the pics. I live in Verona about 10 miles from Pittsburgh. Its a small world
He is! 🙂