Family Reunion and Father's Day

I went to our biannual Landers family reunion yesterday. I've never been to one of my family reunions before. It was fun! I got to meet a ton of people that I had no clue who they were... but they all knew me and my mom and dad. There was 55 of us there. They said it was the biggest one yet. A lot of the older generation have done passed on so it is up to us young 'ens to carry on with it.

I am so happy for the father's out there that have spent time with their families today. I'm sure the families have all enjoyed each other. But for us that have lost their daddy's it is really hard. I even stayed home from church to avoid the celebrations. I know it is REALLY selfish of me, but in doing that I still didn't avoid it completely. I read a lot of blogs on here and this one lady was writing about her dad. His name is Robert, they call him Bob, but mostly Bobby-I think she said. Well, mine was Robert, Bob...but everybody called him BOBBY. Her story of the two of them was a lot like mine and daddy's. My dad passed away on April 7, 2000. He never got to meet my little Dakota Bob (his name is actually Bobby Dakota...named after daddy, but we call him Dakota Bob)Dakota was born Dec. 13, 2000. He missed a great man! Daddy was diagnosed in 1998, I think it was, with Schleroderma. It is the hardening of the tissues under the skin. There are 2 types... one is where it affects your skin and outward appearances more and the other is internal. Daddy had the internal kind. It eventually shuts down the blood vessels going to the major organs of the body. It was hard to see him go from a hard working man to one who went in to the hospital on Dec. 31, 1999 and never walked again. He could set up, but didn't walk. He just couldn't, his muscles just went away. Me and mom took care of him at home as much as we could. His kidneys failed and he had to have dialysis every week. The ambulance would come to their house and pick him up and take him back home. They were so good to the family (the drivers of the ambulance). He had trouble breathing on the 6th day of April. They put him back in ICU and I got to stay with him a few minutes. He had on the oxygen mask to help him breath, but when I had to go I told him I loved him. He said I love you too. That was the last thing I got to hear from him before he left the next morning. I got the call that morning about 9 am and made it to the hospital too late. He had not been gone but just a few minutes. I saw him in a way that will forever be burned in my mind. I hate that memory. I wish I could erase that one. But he gave his soul to Jesus in Dec. of the year before he passed away. So the I love you' s spoken that day and knowing where he is now makes it a little more bearable for me. I'm sorry to have carried on about it all, but crying through this is kind of a way for me to get through it. Even if no one ever reads all of this, it is still good to get things out.
BUT... NOW I'LL TELL YOU THE GOOD THINGS ABOUT THIS MAN...
Born Robert Brewer Landers May 7, 1937 ....

This was one in school


These were when daddy was in the ARMY in '60 & '61




He was a mess... if I had friends over he would dance across the floor, or something silly. He never-hardly ever- got mad! He was so even tempered and happy. I tell you the world could be falling around him and he would still be OK. He worked so hard. He would come home from his job and go to work outside, either in the garden or at his one-man saw mill. He loved what he called "piddling". I loved him so much, I was a DADDY'S GIRL!!

Here we are ... It was a LONG time ago... not sure what year, prob. 1973 or '74



I just had my head screwed on wrong for so many years that I missed a lot of things. I messed up a lot, but he still loved me. He never spanked me, that I can remember...but all he would have to say was "Lisa Ann..." with the middle name that meant business. That was all it took, oh, and to hear those words... "I'm disappointed in you..." that was as bad as any beating he could have ever given me.

This was the greatest man I've ever known. No one can EVER fill his shoes, not in my eyes at least.
This is one of the last few pictures I have here with me (mom has TONS of them at her house)taken not long before he got sick. I love this picture. It is daddy... from the tanned, wrinkled skin, to the glasses and crooked smile (that he gave to me :D ) It is the way I remember him most.



Happy Father's Day Daddy, I miss you......