I'm gonna get right to the subject tonight because it is kinda late and I got caught up in some 'stuff' and didn't get to my room till late. Dad, I apologize for not putting on here Happy Father's Day! I really felt bad about it. And i still do. AND, I know it may be 3 days after....but here's to you.....
Father's Day....hmmmmm wow! A day to celebrate everything about dads. Well, for those of you that know me well, he's Daddy to me. Some people say that anyone can be a dad but it takes a man to be a father....or anyone can be a father but it takes someone special to be a dad.... I'm not really sure which way that saying goes but my Daddy is everything anyone and everyone would love have! I grew up being scared of my dad....which is a good thing. I attribute that fear to most of the man I am today. He taught me to respect others and respect myself, he taught me how to be a good person, he taught me how to love by loving the same woman for over 25 years now, he taught me lessons in life that only a father could teach, and he helped raise me to be the man I am today. I remember back in NC when we lived on Howey Bottoms I just couldn't wait till I was old enough to mow the yard, I helped him in the garden planting beans and corn, I complained when he made me pick those beans... :-) , the firewood we used to cut and haul from woods behind our house....standing there in awe as he used the chain saw...yearning to one day be like him and cut my own firewood, helping him build an addition to our house, getting those deserved whoopings after a night at the bowling alley, coming home from long trips from Ohio and pretending to be asleep so he would carry me in the house, sitting outside roasting marshmellows with Grandpa and Grandma Schramm in the old tire rim, going to Sonic for icecream before the fireworks show in Monroe, and who can forget the night Hugo hit our house....that was exciting! Moving on to TN....the hardship of just moving to TN alone was such a huge feat for our family....we were poor....there's no other word for it. But you know when I realized that? YEARS later! He made it seem like everything was fine and dandy. Presents were still under the tree at Christmas, we still went to Ohio to visit, we still had three meals a day.....to me everything was great. Not a thing in the world was wrong....Daddy kept us together. The memories of going to Ohio and him teaching me how to milk a cow...that's right, no machines, just my two hands and bucket to catch the milk....it was amazing...Grandpa's farm was so much fun! The bulls, the milking, stealing eggs from the chickens, sloppin the pigs, cleaning the crap out of the ditch in the milk room....good times. Daddy, remember that time when I was a Philip Harrel's house and we wanted to go hunting by ourselves and you wouldn't let us? I threw such a fit! You were protecting me. But then remember our first deer hunt together at Phil's...and that fox came right over our head sniffing us out... Then what, three years later sitting on the hill in WV above the Oak Place....BOOM! Then that deer came running right at us...BOOM BOOM!! My first deer! We did that together. Thank you. Remember when you used to pick me up from work REALLY late at LG's on the River? They broke so many laws letting me work that late and that many hours...but that was ok...you still picked me up every weekend. Moving on to high school and college....you stood right there and supported me through all the things I went through....getting engaged, buying a couple new trucks.....wait...I need to back up. I would say we were as close as a normal father and son until my junior year of high school...maybe it was the summer between junior and senior year...we bought the Roadrunner!!! The Roadrunner was the beginning of what has become the best father and son relationship anyone could ask for!! Everyday I'd come home at 1130..hurry up and eat...maybe...then WORK WORK WORK on the car right up until 3:15 when i would run in the house, shower, dress, and scurry to be at work by 4pm....Every single day my senior year was spent getting closer to the man that molded me into who I am today. Every afternoon for 3 and half hours was ours! Father and son...workin on a
car...loving every minute of it! Well, except for that day when I accidentally backed over the trunk lid...I thought you were gonna shoot me... I think we were both close to tears....at least we hadn't painted it yet. OH, and the day we started that engine for first time!! You were like a god to me! You got it going...remember we had the thingy....the uhhh...timing thingy...we had the spark plug wires backward on the thing... and it wouldn't start, then you put them on right and HHRRRRGGRRRRR!!! DAMN that thing was loud!! That was one day I did NOT want to go to work! We had that one gallon can as a fuel supply because the gas tank was lying in the yard...AWSOME! The car was the best thing that I have ever bought! And people wonder why I won't sell it....at car shows they ask me what I want for it.....priceless! You can't buy the love that went into that car. Ever. Moving on....several successful hunting trips later, a roadtrip to buy another car, graduation from college....then another big step in my life....You never said no...we never sat down and had a heart to heart about it, you never once questioned it....I joined the Army and left for Basic Training two weeks after graduating college. You and mom stood behind me 100%. From that day til now...you and mom have supported my Military career without question. When I volunteered for Germany... not one negative word...I don't count the uhhhh 'don't have too much fun' bit.... :-) AND OH MY GOODNESS the fun we had in Europe when you and momma came over...that was fun! Then when I returned from Germany....it kinda hit me.....I found myself doing those very things you had taught me so many years ago....helping you garden so you didn't have to, mowing the yard, going and cutting firewood so you wouldn't have to, working on my truck, workin on the bikes....and we can't forget the biggest project....I was building my own house this time around. But! But, I would still be shaving drywall with a puddy knife if it weren't for the intelligence of my Daddy. I'm convinced that there is nothing....NOTHING that you can't do. And if you're not sure how to do it...you'll figure it out.....and pretend like you know what you're doing. :-) My house is absolutely beautiful! I owe so much of that credit to my daddy! THANK YOU! You also stood by me when it came time to get married. That was a feat in itself. I don't mean that in a bad way....it really was a pain in the butt. BUT, you stood by me dad, and told me to follow my heart. And I did. And you supported me again without flaw. Thank you! Thank you for working so so hard in trying to get Jana here before I left. Thank you. As if all that wasn't enough....I volunteered again to do some more sight seeing with the Army....you all probably guessed that I volunteered but I didn't admit it until sometime after I got picked to go. And this time it wasn't a 12 month vacation to Europe. Iraq is a lot different. BUT, once again you stood behind me and you understood WHY I wanted to come here so bad. You understood and said nothing against it. I came to realize that I probably should have waited until John got home and then volunteered to come over here so at least one of us would be home....I'm sorry for that. I'm sorry to put you all through so much worry and times of uncertainty...we'll be fine. Thank you again for you support!!
Well, that was a little walk down memory lane....Daddy, I love you! And I'm sorry I missed you on Father's Day. I hope it was a blast. I know we've talked since then, but I just wanted to tell you how special you are to me. I couldn't ask for a better father. I couldn't ask for a better man to look up to and try my hardest to be like each and every day. You're my everything I want you to know it. One of my goals has always been to make you proud to be your son. I hope I never let you down. I love you Daddy!HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!
Somewhere in Iraq
SGT Wormy
2247
Posts
2 comments:
Jeremy, I so want to thank you and your brother for your service. I am the woman that sent you the scrubs and pillows. I have 6 family members that have served in the in the Middle East since 9-11. All are home at the moment but I feel that if we do not unite in this cause for freedom and security we will fail as a nation. You and your brother are doing your part. I can only do my part from here to support you as much as possible. I saw the picture below of either you or your brother and I had to gasp as you look so much like my son. He will be joining you this summer in Iraq and I could not be more proud of the service you and he are providing to our nation.
Oh by the way I do not live in Germany I live in Stafford, Virginia. I am only in Germany for 30 days working at Landstuhl to help the wounded warriors as they come through here.
Again I thank both of you for your service.
Karen
Founder and President
Landstuhl Hospital Care Project
DAD SAYS
JOHN AND JEREMY, THANKS FOR THE POST,I ALWAYS DID WHAT A DAD IS SUPPOSED TO DO,LOVED YOU BOTH AND TOOK CARE OF YOU BOTH. I TRIED TO TEACH YOU RIGHT FROM WRONG TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY. I KNOW SOMETIMES IT WAS NOT EASY DURING ALL THE HARD TIMES BUT WE ALWAYS HAD ENOUGH AND MADE IT.I FEEL THAT I HAVE 2 OF THE BEST SONS A DAD WOULD WANT. JUST REMEMBER,JOHN,FOR COURTNEY, AND JEREMY ,IF AND WHEN YOU HAVE CHILDREN ALWAYS TRY TO BE THERE FOR THEM AND TEACH THEM WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED AND LOVE THEM. I AM EXTREMMLY PROUD OF BOTH OF YOU AND KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. LOVE YOU, DAD
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