My Favorite Memory of Daddy by Brenna, age 15

When we lived in Illinois and Daddy was a recruiter, we only saw him on Sundays, but those Sundays stand out in my mind as wonderful.

The night before, Mama would tell us if Daddy was going to get doughnuts or not.  If he was, me and Delaney would get up as early as we could to go with him.  It always seemed like the middle of the night to me, but I'm sure it wasn't.  I can remember holding his hand as we picked our doughnuts out.  We always got some with filling inside and some with sprinkles on top.

After breakfast, we'd go to church.  The church seemed more like a huge cathedral to me, but taking into account how short I was, I think it was just a nice church.  All through Mass, I'd sit next to or on top of Daddy.  The best part of Mass was the Consecration.  Daddy was kneeling and I was kneeling between his legs.  He was warm and close and I felt very safe under there.  I folded my hands just like his and he folded his over mine.  When the priest held the host up and said, "Do this in memory of me," Daddy would bend his head down and whisper the words along with the priest.  Every Mass, I hear in my head yet again Daddy whispering in my ear the same words as the priest.  Even though our current parish has no bells, I hear them pealing in time with Daddy's voice.

After Mass, we returned home and spent a whole day with Daddy.  Sometimes, we watched the Olympic ice skaters on television while Daddy flipped through a newspaper.  I remember sliding around the living room on those papers, imitating the skaters. 

For a while, Daddy was building model boats.  It made him a little snappish and no wonder.  They were delicate little things and we were always sticking our fingers in them.  Mommy had to explain to us several times that they were looking-at boats, not play-with boats.  He nailed some parts with tiny tacks and crazy glued others.  I somehow got a little on my thumb and was deeply disturbed that it didn't peel off like Elmer's glue.  I also thought it odd that I could not feel anything on that one spot.

After dinner and bath time, we waited with barely supressed excitement for Daddy to come up.  There was a hammock on the far wall that no one could reach.  It was stuffed full of stuffed animals, and every Sunday, Daddy would lift us up to get one.  Mommy quickly installed the trading rule.  To get an animal, you had to give an animal.

The day ended with four happy children being tucked in by a much loved father.