Father's Day and Thankful

It's technically past Father's Day in my time zone, but my daddy will never see this and won't remember that it isn't Father's Day if he does.

His memory has faded, along with so many stories and details of his life that we should have listened to, asked about, recorded, appreciated.

We just spent a few days with my folks. My mom shared snippets of these years that we did not know. It's too late for Daddy to tell the stories or to answer our many questions. But we treasure the days we have now, mindful that they will fade away too.

So here's a little tribute to my daddy, the Best Daddy Ever.

Edgar Ray Hendrick, around 8 years old, McKinney, Texas

My daddy is the little guy in front with his older brother LeRoy, his younger brother, Wayne, the baby in his mommy's arms. 4 more children will be born to Harry and Mary.

Stationed in Niagara Falls right after getting married, January or so, 1944

 Stationed in Hawaii in the summer of 1945, training to invade Japan. We researched a bit, and think he would have been deployed to Japan in the first of 2 waves, October 1945. It was estimated there would have been around 150,000 US military casualties.

He's the one with the ammo necklace.

Well, what would you have been thinking about? Young wife at home, war in Europe just ended. Facing deployment in a few months.

I know he was aware that he was training to invade Japan. I don't know if he knew it would be in October.

He was a Captain in the Army Chemical Corp.

I'm so very thankful that the war ended soon after this photo, August 1945.

We just spent a few days with my folks. My mom told us many details of these years that we did not know or did not remember. It's too late for Daddy to tell the stories or to answer our many questions.

I'm so humbled to realize that I might not be here today, had the war continued a few more months. So humbled and so thankful. I'm thankful to God, and thankful to so many brave men and women who sacrificed so much that I could live this comfortable peaceful life.

So, Happy Father's Day, Daddy. Everyone should have a dad like you.