DD

No pictures. My computer has not cooperated with operator. I used to have initials for things. They would mean special things to just me or just me and my family. I am sure no one has been waiting 7 months for deep thoughts of infinite wisdom or humor so I will let you just think. Man he is weeeerd!, some of you will say. I can't agree more.

2-14

90 years ago on Valentine's Day a little (he used to say )toehead was born about 6 miles east of Phillipsburg near the town of Gretna, Kansas. When our family used to drive by the place where the windmill still stood from that farmstead I would many times say, "That is where Grandpa was born."
Well, it is the second Valentine's day without him now. Many of the memories are not as distinct as they were two years ago. Some of the yearning to see and hear him though are so strong. Lately the thought that I had a couple of months after we lost him of, "O.K. Dad you can come out of hiding now." has been going through my mind. This morning in church (as it is many times while singing at church) we were singing, "When all of God's singers get home." There is a part in the chorus where the bass hits a note and then drops down to a much lower note. We came to that part and I just waited and wanted to hear that low note. Like usual it just had to come from my mind because he was not there to hit it. I looked down at my Mom and there was a tear in her eye. She has been having a hard time lately with this.
If Dad were here I know he would say to just move on. I think I am but it is no fun.
I'll just say that I miss him a lot this February 14 as I am sure many of my family and those that knew him well do too.

Plethora

Isn't plethora a cool word? I learned it from Jacqueline and Jordan.

My Pal

Yesterday when I came home from work my pal was waiting for me. I thought she was telling me that we needed to go to the lake and spend the night. I was thinking to myself that I had a plethora of things to do, but spending the night at the lake sounds just great! Well, I went downstairs and got a sleeping bag, a lawn chair (for relaxation) and an ice chest. I filled that ice chest full of coke and dog biscuits and some fried chicken. It had been quite a while since we had taken a ride so we packed up and left.

We drove to the lake. It was a little windy. Then we remembered the "Walden Pond" people who run the Kirwin National Wildlife Refuge do not allow camping at the lake so Maddie and I packed up and headed back. I think she was thinking, "Well, I bet we could just sleep out on the deck in the backyard." When we got home we set up shop on the deck. It was just too noisy to sleep. So inside we went.

I made us some stovetop somores and a little warm chocolate milk and we both went to sleep on the living room floor.

What an adventure!!

My Name

I think that I have been told that my older brother John was named after our Great Grandfathers, John Keesee and Eli Haskett. My middle name is the same as my Dad's. Our name gives others something to call us and it is something that when we hear it we understand that we are being called.

I get questions sometimes about my name. "Do you want to be called Bob or Robert." I am sometimes asked. I usually explain that I think if my Mom introduced me to someone my name was Robert. If my Dad was the one who was presenting me to someone, my name was Bob. I remember a very scary day when I was enrolling in Junior High School (that was what it was called back then) my Mom was asked the question of what I wanted to be called. We looked at each other and said Robert. So nearly everyone who went to school with me from that time on called me Robert. Coaches usually call you by your last name, so the boys I was on the football or basketball team with called me Keesee. When I was in college, most people called me Keesee. My Grandma Keesee called me Bobby. I still have some of my cousins that call be Bobby. Megan and Clint sometimes call me Bobby. Sharlene calls me Bob and Honey, of course, and sometimes other things that we will not go into now. I bet my Dad introduced her to me. I have been called a plethora of names including Koozie, Kooz, Keez and Bert. Kandi, who works with me in the afternoon, just calls me Boss. My girls call me Dad and Daddy. All of the names mean something special to me.

Now, I guess, I am acquiring a new name. It is Pappy. I am a grandpa, being called Pappy. That is pretty cool and so is the sweet little one who is the reason I have the new name.

My Little Girl

Most of you know that I love music. I love country, jazz, classical - just about anything. I love strings, brass, and voices. I have been known to say in the middle of some conversation, "...that reminds me of a song." Well, I have certain songs that are just special to me. Dolly Parton's, "I Will Always Love You", Crystal Gayle's "When I Dream", The Statler Brothers singing "You are My Sunshine" and John Denver singing "Back Home Again" are just a few of my many "favorite" songs. Each one brings a special thought to my mind when I hear them.

There are certain songs that remind me of certain people. Many of those special songs remind me of my girls. "In My Daughter's Eyes" and "My Little Girl" are a couple of those songs that remind me of my daughters. I think of Pam when I hear "Why Haven't I Heard from You" and "This Kiss." I think of Annie and Pam when I hear "Grandpa (Tell us about the good old days). I think of Jacqueline when I hear "I'm Already There." (As a side note Annie and Sharlene have one song that is very special to the two of them.) But when I hear "In My Daughter's Eyes" and "My Little Girl" it makes me think of all three of them. These songs make me feel so special to have had the privilege to be my girls' Dad.

This morning I heard the song, "My Little Girl" on the radio. There is a part in that song that talks about being beautiful from the outside in. I belive that I have three beautiful daughters. I also believe that they are beautiful inside and outside. Their Mother played a big part on that inner and outer beauty.

Sharlene and I have a new little granddaughter, Chloe. She is so cute, so smart, so funny and so entertaining. (Grandpas say these things.) I believe she will grow up to be a beautiful young lady. I believe that her parents will also help her to grow up to be just as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside.

In the song, "My Little Girl" it says that the little girl, "...will always be my little girl." I do not care what my daughthers say, they will always be my little girls. This little Chloe, and the new grandchildren that are on the way, will always be the "little girl(s)(and soon to be little boy) who is the little girl of My Little Girl.

Hope it makes sense.

Bang Up Weekend

We had a very special 4th of July weekend. Sharlene's brother Bob and his wife Sharon, one of their daughters, Jennifer and her husband Sam and Mr. Cameron came to Kansas for a visit. We had a lot of just real nice family time at Brenda's, Becky's and our house over the weekend.

There was food, fun, food and family and food. We sat around for hours and listened and talked. We hit Shelley Ann's for the traditional breakfast.

Becky and Jason's son, Clint, had a birthday on the 3rd so we celebrated that special day with a cookout, cake and ice cream.

Fireworks with the Stapels is the tradition now. It was fun, loud, exciting and sometimes there was a suprise.

Bob, Sam, Cameron and I went to the Geographical Center of the United States near Lebanon, Kansas. It was an interesting ride. Got to meet the new preacher at the little chapel.

Sharlene called some of her local cousins and Monday night we go to be with a little more famliy. We ate some world famous Banana Pudding.

I enjoyed the stories told. I enjoyed the laughter. I enjoyed getting to spend some special time with family. I felt a little closer to them all when they pulled out of the drive on their way home. It was just a fun, relaxing weekend. I am glad I got to be a part of it.