It's His Day...

Today is my Daddy's 70th Birthday. It would've been...it should've been...it still is. Yet, he stopped aging when he died last New Years Eve. In my heart,though, he's is 70 now - not 69. Last year we held on prayer and hope that he would live to 69 and outlive 5 generations of Blocker men who lost their lives to Heart disease. He made it, only to die a few weeks later (2 days after my Mother).

William Johnnie Blocker was born December 5, 1940 in Geneva, AL. He was the oldest of three children and the self-proclaimed protector of everyone and everything. My daddy loved us with such a deep fierceness and, underneath his gruff and strict persona, was never embarrassed or ashamed to tell/show us that he loved us.

Daddy wore a red cowboy hat...always. He loved Butter-Pecan ice cream, his childhood nickname was Jigs, he was called Johnny throughout his life, he loved his trip to Disney World, was glued to his TV when he was home off the road, and enjoyed feeding the squirrels in the back yard when he retired.

He had a deep love for his brother, my Mother, and the four of us kids. (I'm not slighting his love for all of his family - he loved just about everyone). Dad wasn't a particular tall guy (5'8'ish maybe) but his personality was his strength. He was loud, sometimes could be obnoxious, loved to laugh, overload your email with junk emails (Oh, my...could he ever), he was bull-headed, and the along with my Mother - was the life of every family gathering near or far.

My heart is broken today wanting him back. I miss him so much.