Today is my dad's birthday...he would have been 80 years old! He passed away from cancer when he was 63. I talked to my mom last night (she still lives in Canada) and we were of coarse talking about him and thinking about the past....to be totally honest he wasn't the best father or husband.....my mom and I went through some really difficult 'stuff' with him.....it left emotional scars....things I'm still trying to work on today...my confidence, self-esteem....but one thing my dad taught me is that nothing in life is black and white....there is a whole lot of grey....he did change thanks to my mother who stuck by his side when I think most women would have just left....she tells me it's because she knew he had a good heart...and he did. I'm not going to talk about the bad 'stuff' because I forgave him for that and it's in the past....a lot of people who knew him say he should have written a biography...he really should have....he had a tough life...loosing his father in the war at a very young age and being the oldest he had to provide for his mother, brothers and sister....
My mom and dad (no that's not his hair and mustache!! a wig and fake mustache)....before I was born.
Last night my mom said she wished he was here to see my kids....(he passed when I was 21...before I got married)....I see so much of him in my kids especially my oldest Marko....thankfully all the good! lol
I have a lot of my dad's traits...my crafty, good with my hands comes from him, loved sports....he was also very romantic, LOVED animals, people and life! He couldn't care for material things...I have never met anyone like him....you could not impress him with anything material (cars, houses, this brand or that)...he always use to say I won't be taking that to the grave with me..lol..morbid but true!....he was definitely 'grey'.
I wanted to celebrate my father and his brothers (who have all passed away...my uncle died last summer...he was the last in the family to go)...being that it is almost Father's Day...with a small giveaway.
Three brothers....so alike and so different at the same time...my dad was the wild one, the one you didn't want to mess with! LOL!
From the left: Milan, Zvonko (don't you love his hair!!), Petar (my dad, the oldest...I believe he was 14 in the photo...I love this photo)
My uncle Milan who died when he was 47 was a beautiful soul....I don't remember him but that's what everyone told me .....I mean everyone....I found this newspaper article my dad kept of my uncle's passing....it basically says what a wonderful and sweet man he was...not a mean bone in him.
And then there's my uncle Zvonko....he was the charmer of the three!! lol When I was little I thought he was Elvis!! Does anyone else see the resemblance?? :) Don't you just love looking at photo of your parents (and family) before you were born! This month it will be a year since my uncle passed away. I miss them all!
So...I'm giving away this perfect stamp set, perfect for your masculine cards....
Just leave a comment and I'll randomly choose one winner on Father's Day!
xo
Pop on over to the Jane's Doodles blog and check out Eva's hybrid card using our free bunny digi! :)
Cathy P in AZ said...
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