Happy Fathers day to the two best Dads I know

Today was a wonderful day. I set my mind on making memories today, I do not mean trying to force a special moment or steer the day in what I thought would be a perfect fathers day. No instead I watched, listened, engaged, relaxed and just took it all in. Seeing the little things and capturing the sound of my fathers voice, the look of his smile, the smell of a home cooked meal made with love for a dad who will hardly even touch food. My heart swelled when he ate not just once but twice today, a small victory for some but for me it was a huge success. My memories of today will be some of the most precious and treasured for the rest of my life. Daddy picked up his guitar today after almost a year of not playing, and he and my brother played together and I sang with them like so many countless times before, just grateful to have this one last chance. I never thought he would pick up the instrument again and really neither did he, but today it was like old times and I did not take it for granted. It will more than likely be the last time and I would not take all the money in the world for what we shared today. My dad got to show off his grandchildren to his family and I watched the pride in his eyes as they gave the kids great praise and fawned over them. I heard laughter as daddy took in Miah being a ham and leaned in close to hear a conversation between him and James. Dad talked of days gone by and he talked of things he needs to do and I listened hanging on his every word. We took family pictures and a few candid shots. Dad dozed on and off on the couch, never complaining from the obvious pain he was in. He rallied for us today and gave it all he had and with out having to say the words I knew how loved I was and am by my father today. He told me he was proud of me and of my family. He smiled at me, hugged me and said he loved me. Today was a wonderful day.

Altering a photo... We Picture This

I had such fun trying out this altering a photo. I have really only recently learned the very basics of PSE but with this challenge I really started to learn some new things and that the web has loads of info and tutorials. I really liked Miahs skin tone in this picture right out of the camera but the bricks were drowning out the tone I was looking for so I used texture for the first time and then I added more texture on top of that! I made a 2nd layer of my original photo first and added the textures next one on top of the other. Then I erased and blended the section of photo with Miah so that the texture was only in the background. That is it. Seems like so much technical stuff but really once I started it got easier and I am loving it! The picture was taken with a NikonD 40 in early evening light with cover on Portrait setting.
Thank you so much for looking and please be sure and check out the wonderful work and other entries you can get there by clicking the We Picture This link above. Oh and as always if you click on the pictures above the will enlarge for you.

This is Miah my DD.

Time

Time is a funny thing. Some days you just want it to hurry up and fly by so you can get to that next big thing. You know the one your whole life hinges on... waiting for your wedding day, waiting for your child to come home, or the next holiday , vacation or day off. It is normal and every one I know wishes time would speed up just a little once in a while. Now I would give almost anything for time to stop. Right here and now and never change. I wish with all my heart I could go back in time and warn my family that I could somehow change what we are facing now. I look at a carton of milk and the expiration date makes me sad. I think about James going into third grade and how quickly this summer will fly by. That alone sends me into a deep dispare. I hate seeing movie trailers that say come in blah blah blah. They all remind me of the one thing he does not have enough of TIME. We all face the truth that life is short and we all must take a final breath at some point in our lives, but for most of us we flash on the thought and then shake it off feeling that, that day is a long way off in our future or we say You never know when so why worry about it. What if you did know or you were given a time line... How would you view time then. That is where I am at, viewing time as the enemy who will very soon take my daddy away. He is only 56 and yet ...We are not promised tomorrow.
My dad is really sick and it is that ugly word so many of us have heard to many times, Cancer. Lung cancer to be specific and it is in stage four meaning it has spread through out his body. We are told that with out Chemo he has two to four months to live and with treatment we may have him for ten to twelve months if his body can handle it. Every breath he takes is a labor for him and I haft to tell you even though the signs were there early my dad just pressed on and continued to work hard not telling anyone the amount of pain he was in. Just a good ole boy doing what he needed to do for his family. In fact he had a heart attack and did not tell anyone and due to lack of insurance he never sought medical attention. DAD!! My dad had several sever attacks at night where he thought he was dying before he allowed my mom to finally take him to the doctor. He has lost his strength fast, in a matter of a few months his weight dropped over 50 pounds and still he was giving it all he had.
Now what, how do we get through this. I know we will and we will make the best of all the time we have. It hurts, it sucks and I hate it. I do not know how to tell my son or daughter, what is the right thing to say and when to say it. Time... I need more ... He needs more. I love you daddy and I am so very sorry that you are facing this horrible thing.