Memories in the night

It's 5:22am and I'm spending the night at my parent's house. My dad is back from the hospital and my brothers, my sister and I will be taking turns staying over to help my mom with the care of our dad. Mom hasn't gotten much sleep in the last couple nights, so I'm trying to wake up right away to help dad so she can keep sleeping. I have been up so many times tonight that I have lost count. During one of the brief 'down-times,' I got to thinking of some of my more memorable moments with my dad, growing up. I've given up trying to go back to sleep and thought I'd blog them since I'm awake. They are in no particular order.

1. When my dad coached baseball.
He coached little league 'Seniors division,' which was for high school age guys. I remember when he started, my brothers and I would just go and help out. But then I got old enough to play on his team. My dad drafted me for his team, and I played catcher and center field. My dad was a great coach. Always reminding us of how important 'the basics' were. Always fair (everyone played, and his kids were no more special than any other player).

2. Taking my brothers and I to his work places (Elkhart Traveler/Dutchman).
Dad was a purchasing agent. He used to take my brothers and I on the long trek (or so it seemed) to Goshen to his shop. He would use the equipment there to build things. I used to watch him work and think to myself how smart he was to be able to do stuff like that. A few years back, my brothers and I helped dad build his own workshop in the backyard where my brothers and I often make our own projects.

3. Taking our ENTIRE family to Disney World.
Dad got a really big bonus from his job and decided that as a Christmas present, he was going to take the entire family to Disney. What memories I have of the 'Prugh Caravan' making it's way to Florida. My kids were 4 and 2. I drove my dad's truck loaded with everyone's luggage. The Holiday Inn in Veldosta, Georgia. Breakfast at the Cracker Barrell in Murphreesboro, Tennessee with Uncle Dave. Stopping in Southern Indiana to say goodbye to my brother Jeff and his wife Kerry (they lived in Cleveland, Ohio). So many great memories here!

4. Dad getting my brother and I up for school.
My brother Jeff and I shared a room in the basement. Every morning at 6am we'd hear dad's footsteps and the oh so wonderful, turning on of the basement light. He'd yell, "You boys up?!" We'd shout that we were, then go back to sleep. But when we heard those footsteps making a second trip to the top of the stairs, we'd always get up right away. Because, if he ever came down....you knew there were going to be major consequences. I also have fond memories of him driving us to school and dropping us off. Each morning we got to enjoy the best of WTRC-AM 1340, with Bill Darwin. I remember thinking how much I hated listening to talk radio. Now years later....I listen to talk radio a lot myself. Much to the chagrin of my own children.

5. Dad taking all of us to a Colts football game in Indianapolis.
Dad took our family to the Colts vs. Rams game at the Hoosier Dome (now the RCA Dome). We all spent the night at the Embassy Suites Hotel in downtown Indy. I remember taking a horse drawn carraige ride through the Circle area with my wife, my brother and his wife, then heading back to the room for bed. Dad & mom, Carol & I were all in one room. I remember no one got much sleep because dad's HORRIFIC snoring ( this memory was brought to mind as I sit here typing...hearing dad's snoring in the monitor next to me).

6. Our entire family getting together for dinner after dad finished his radiation treatments.
The picture at the top is of my brothers, my sister and I, with our dad. he had just finished all of his radiation treatments, and we were having a celebration dinner. We were all there with our own families at Heinie's in Elkhart. At the time this didn't seem all too far from what we did so often as a family. But now I know that it was the last time we actually got together as a family while dad was able to get around well.

The time now is 6:46 am, and while I am sure there are many other times that I will recall later, these were in the forefront of my mind. What great times. What a great dad!