Daddy's Girl

All my life I have been told that I look like my mom, or that I have more of the Hiatt genes than my brother and sister. I was the brown eyed girl that my mom knew she was going to have. So I have just assumed that I was just like her. One day while I was doing my daily walk I was thinking about my genes, the BAD ones to be specific, and I got to thinking that I even inherited some of the bad ones from him as well. Then it hit me I had things about me that are like my dad what is that called an epiphany? I love my mom dearly she worked hard and provided the best of care growing up. I know that there were times that she sacrificed a great deal for all of us. She was always there! I have just never thought that I was that much like my dad. One of the things that was said about my dad after he passed away was that he was considered a "Gentle Giant." As I thought more about that statement it made me think about what might be said about me after I die, I know kind of morbid but... I suddenly realized that I could be more like my dad, I WOULD be more like my dad. The dad I knew was kind and patient and didn't complain (I learned that he suffered from migraines after he died) I watched him go through terrible stress with some of mom's illness and his showed more concern for me than for himself it was not easy.

I will share another story at the end that made me respect him so much at a very impressionable age. At any rate I began to say to myself I am a "Daddy's Girl" I will be positive and try not to complain or stress over the less important things. I want to cherish life and family.

Rebecca gave Kerry a plaque that reads "Dad a son's first hero, a daughters first love!" I would have to say that both apply to me!
Actually I have two stories!
1. Growing up dad would take me to the grandstand in Manassas for the fireworks display for the 24th Celebration. It was something that I treasured. I loved sitting by him and watching the color in the sky. Now they shoot the fireworks from the hill behind and it just isn't the same, of course it isn't the same without dad anyway. In Honolulu they shoot them off from the Hilton Hawaiian every Friday night and when I am here I will always try to catch them. To this day I still love firework displays anywhere, anytime. Many new and favorite memories have come to me as a result of fireworks. But the little girl inside still remembers watching the sky light up with her daddy.
2. When I was about twelve mom dad and I were going to Kmart and dad drove down the wrong way in a parking lot. This guy in a pick up truck slammed on his brakes and when we passed him he called dad a really bad name and was swearing up a storm. Dad was concerned that his groceries had been damaged or something so he went around to the next side, again on the wrong side, and followed the guy. The guy stopped and looked like he was really angry. As dad got out of the car the guy (jerk) realized that dad was not a small man in stature and as he approached the truck the guy was actually looking up at him. Dad asked the guy if there was any damage or if he had caused a problem and the guy just swallowed hard and said everything was fine. Dad calmly got back into the car and we went to Kmart to get what ever we were going there for. The look on the guys face was priceless but even more the calm and gentle way dad handled that left a very lasting impression on me. Unfortunately my girls have heard that story many, many times.
I do have the Hiatt coloring but I also have the Smith build, the height just like my dad and my Aunt Madge among many other "Smith giants." I am proud to be both a Hiatt and a Smith and I really want to be my "Daddy's Girl."