Father's Day Post

So I'm going to get a little personal for a second...

This is my daddy..

Harold Charles Larkin. He was born in 1924, and lived a long and happy life to the age of 86. He was in World War 2, raised two families, built the house that I grew up in, and never stopped enjoying life.

When people find out how old my dad was, they're almost always surprised. Growing up, people always thought I was his granddaughter. When I was little, my dad would take me places, and people would say "oh, how cute..is this your granddaughter?" and he would always start laughing, and correct them "Nope. She's my daughter." *cue awkward glances* I didn't realize it was weird. Once the neighbor boy told everyone in school that I didn't have a father. I yelled at him for saying it, but thinking back on it, I guess it was just an honest mistake. 

Growing up with a much older father was definitely a unique experience, and while I probably missed out on certain aspects of a typical father-child relationship, I wouldn't have changed a thing. Everyone who met my daddy loved him. He was such a young soul, that you almost forgot his real age...and he seriously knew everyone. We couldn't go anywhere without him running into someone he knew.

I'm an old soul, and for that I blame him. We used to listen to old records, and watch The Lawrence Welk Show. Because of him I'm familiar with old comedians like Red Skelton,  and all of Bob Hope's "Road to.." movies. Not to mention the fact that my dad's idea of a bedtime lullaby was this Irish drinking song which he would sing to me every night when I was little.

He was definitely a unique person, and I miss him more and more every day. It definitely makes me sad to think about the fact that my children will never get to meet him. But let me tell you..he was a great dad...and he raised his kids to be great people, and great parents themselves.

Me, and all my brothers

Even though I know that my brothers all miss him more than anything today, they all have reason to celebrate on this day. They're all either fathers themselves, or they will be fathers someday. Some of them are even grandfathers. So no matter what, this will be their day. As the only girl, it's hard for me to enjoy this day. I don't have my father with me anymore, nor will I ever be a father. So no matter how much I celebrate the other fathers in my life (brothers, uncles etc,) Father's Day will always be more of a burden than anything for me. 

But with that thought aside, I really do want to wish the sincerest Happy Father's Day to my brothers. They really are great dads, just like our daddy was, and they deserve to be celebrated today.