Father's Day--part 2

I love seeing life from different people's perspectives. I think that is why I love my camera so much...I can capture life from a different perspective. I can capture a moment that might otherwise be overlooked or forgotten. I love sitting with my four girls after we have done something or gone somewhere and let them each tell me about it. Hmmm....kind of like the Matthew, Mark, Luke and John in the Bible....each of them giving their own perspective sometimes on the same things. Anyway, I love hearing my girls talk about something we all experienced together because sure enough, each of them saw something, talked to someone, or did something that I didn't. Each of them had something different that was special or important to them. And then you have A who will have a thought about the whole thing that NO ONE would have ever thought of!


We are pretty spoiled. We get passes to everything and we always love to go and do things. My aunt Jan will call and get our schedule of events just to laugh at me because after I have named of 50 things for one day, I usually say, "We're not doing a whole lot...just a little of this and that." We love going to plays, movies, amusement parks, etc. What is so funny is even experiencing all of those fun things, the things we spend money on are not necessarily what stands out the most to them! With all of the places we have gone to and things we have done, place we have eaten at, and things we buy, one of the stories the girls bring up the most is when I ate a mushy mango at lunch one time and got it all over my face. Yeah...great for me huh? Of all the things we do together and they remember the messy mango? You know why? Because we laughed and laughed and laughed at that mango. We had so much fun just enjoying the moment together, and that is what they remember.


So you are probably wondering how in the world this is a Father's Day post. Me too! Just kidding. Just in case you are wondering, I get an idea in my head of a post I want to write, then I just start writing, so that is why they end up a little crazy and all over the place sometimes. So.........on to the story about dad that I want to tell. My dad obviously did so many things for us in life. He took us places, taught us things, explained EVERYTHING to us very logically, but one of the things that makes me think of him.....butterscotch pudding!


You might be thinking that he ate butterscotch pudding every night, or at least every week. Nope. Dad isn't much of a sweets eater. He loves a good chocolate pie, and in MY eyes, butterscotch pudding is his favorite. Let me tell you why I said MY eyes.


When I was probably in the eighth grade (I'm thinking it was pretty soon after mom had passed away), dad decided we were going to make a snack together. The way I remember the story, he was so excited to make butterscotch pudding for us because it was his favorite thing as a kid. He took us to the store and got the ingredients, then made butterscotch pudding on the stove top, NOT instant. He put nilla wafers in each of our bowls then the pudding. It was the best pudding in the world!
So a few years ago, I had butterscotch pudding somewhere. I don't remember where I was or who gave me the pudding....I don't even remember eating the pudding. I just remember calling my dad and the conversation went something like this:
Dad: Hello?
Me: Hi dad! I'm having your favorite thing to eat right now!
Dad: Oh...ok (ugh...he never shows much excitement the way I do!)
Me: Guess what it is!
Dad: ummm...tamales
Me: nope...it's a dessert
Dad: umm....chocolate pie
Me: No...it's your FAVORITE....you used to eat it all the time as a kid!
Dad: ummm....I have no idea.
Me: BUTTERSCOTCH PUDDING!!!!!!! (I was very excited about it)
Dad: oh....I didn't realize butterscotch pudding was my favorite. I guess I do like it.
Me: DAAAAAAD. You LOVE it...remember? You made it for us and cause you had it all the time as a kid and you LOVE it. It's your favorite!
Dad: Oh, I guess I vaguely remember making it for you girls one time. Yeah, I do like it, I just don't remember that it was my favorite.
Me: Well I remembered for you and it IS your favorite!
Dad: haha....ok

And there you have it...dad loves butterscotch pudding....it's his favorite, just ask me. I laugh thinking about that butterscotch pudding and for some reason that memory really stood out to me. Loooking back at it, I'm thinking that we had just experienced a really hard and traumatic time with my mom having just passed away, and dad had decided to have a fun experience together. I'm thinking that was probably one of the first times after my mom's death that we just relaxed together and had a good time and our hearts were happy. I'm thinking that is why the butterscotch pudding tasted so good. Yep, I love butterscotch pudding....it's my dad's favorite!!!