We are all thankful for my Dad...

Its the holidays. I'm so excited to celebrate with my family. As I've said in years past, Thanksgiving has always been just as big as Christmas in my family. This year is no different.

However, I know we are all wishing my Dad was here to celebrate with us. Since he's been gone, I've missed sitting across from him at the dinner table on Thanksgiving and telling both of my folks how thankful I am for them.

I know I'm not the only one missing him. In fact, Justin and I were baby sitting our nieces recently and Olivia (11) was working on her homework. She mentioned to me that she had to write an essay about who she would ask to Thanksgiving dinner if she could ask anyone. She thought for a second and said, "I would invite Papaw Mike."

Broke my heart. She typed the essay on my lap top and I saved it so I could go back and read it later. I just had to share it. It just goes to show what an impact my Dad had on all of us.

You are invited! As your granddaughter, I would like to invite you to a Thanksgiving feast. I have chosen you because when you passed away, I wished I could have seen you one more time. So I have chosen this time because this is a time when you celebrate with family and friends. I would like to invite you also to tell you how thankful I am to have had you as a grandpa. We will share our memories, I will tell you how much I have missed you and I hope you will do the same. We will talk about how silly i have been and how silly you have been. But what I mostly want to see you do is stick out your tongue again, just like you did when I was little. T hope you can come because I miss you and wish to see you again. I love you! Happy Thanksgiving!

Olivia is a special girl - who had a very special Papaw...and knew it. :)