My oldest daughter is now twenty-four years old, with a child of her own, and she is currently living in Korea with her husband and her son. As I write this, it has been slightly more than six months since they left, and it will be at least another eighteen months before I see them again. Sure, we have Skype to help us keep in touch, but that just isn't quite the same. One morning I woke up and found that my daughter had posted a message on Facebook that said she was homesick and bored. The next day she posted an emoticon that showed a frown with a single tear. I sent her a quick response: "Big Hug". When she was a little girl, I used to take her in my arms anytime something was wrong, and I would always say "Big Hug" as I squeezed her tight. It wasn't long before she posted a reply: "Thank u daddy. Only wish it was a real hug. Miss u bunches." I smiled as I read that, and then I sent her another message. "It's as real as you need it to be, just like changing the traffic lights and the magic doors, as long as you believe, it's real! I love you, honey bear, and I'm always as close as your favorite memory!" Okay, so some of that may not make any sense to "outsiders" who are reading this, but there will be more information later about "changing the traffic lights and the magic doors". As for "honey bear", that was a nickname I gave her when she was a toddler, and it's something that she has happily stuck with ever since. As that day went on, I found myself thinking a lot about some of my favorite memories, and it made me feel so much closer to her, even though we were thousands of miles apart. So I decided to sit down and start typing out some of those memories to share with her, and from there I started doing the same with some of my favorite memories of my other two children and my grandson as well. It made me smile to think back on all these stories, and it was my intention to share these with each of the kids so that long after I am gone, they will have these stories to help them remember me. It also occurred to me that it might help them to share some information about me with their own kids. My own father passed away before any of my children were born, so they never got to know him. I decided the best time to do something about that was right then and there. What you are reading now is a collection of some of my favorite memories of each of my children and my grandson. I selected seven of my favorite memories for each of them, and also added the details surrounding the day each of them was born. As you read these stories, I hope you will take the time to reflect on some of your own favorite memories with your children or other loved ones. If you feel so inclined, you might even consider writing them down. I'll bet your children would love that!
