I am pretty sure that I inherited my love of water came from my Dad. Many of my favourite pictures of him, are on the water, either fresh, salt, or frozen! It is hard to believe that it has been 6 years today since he passed away. August 11th, 2006---a date that would change my life forever. Some days it feels like it was just yesterday, but some days it feels like I can barely remember when he was here with us. I don't have a lot of pictures of us together, honestly didn't like to have my picture taken so tried to get out of it, but now...oh now I wish there were more. I urge you to take pictures with your family and friends today, so that the candids are there when your kids are looking for them. I am going to spend this day doing some very important things.
Go to bootcamp - be healthy, go for a run and some hills, for my Dad because he couldn't at the end.
Spend the day with my family - my sister, my brother in law and my nephews.......who remind me in sooo many ways of my Dad every single day. Johnny is like a mini Cheryl in looks, but sometimes he gets this super serious face and all I see is my Dad. He also gets a paper and a pen and says he has to "make notes". My Dad used to get up early every morning and make notes in his Vipond calendar book. I still have one with the writing in it, just to see his handwriting. Then there is Matt, who is silly and has the greatest laugh...I think comes from his Dad, but then has this little mischievious grin that is pure Gido Russell somedays.
What are we going to do during the day? First we are going to make sure that we pay it forward. My Dad was a big believer in this, if you help someone, they will help someone and so on and so on. When I was driving back from Manitoba to Calgary after the funeral, I was filling up with gas before leaving in the am. The truck next to me had a guy about my Dad's age filling up, he commented on the bugs on my car and we chatted a bit. We then did what every good Canadian does on a roadtrip, lined up at the Tim Horton's line. The man was ahead of me and when I got to the front of the line, the clerk said, "the guy in front of you paid for your coffee and bagel." I teared up (I saved the sobs for the drive later), and said, "ok, I will pay for the car behind me then." I don't know how long that chain went that day, but we will be fitting that into our schedule sometime tomorrow. So if you have the chance today, make someone's day...in honour of my Dad. We are also going to hit the beach in the afternoon and I am going to hand the camera to my brother-in-law John and make him take some pics of my sis and I and me and my nephews, because honestly the photographer doesn't have very many of us together, maybe none. And of course we are going to skype with Grandma Judy. I know this day and every day is hard for my Mom and it is days like today that I wish she lived closer, so I could give her a hug.
I love this pic of my dad and sis and I.
My favourite pic of us together. As a photographer, love the eye contact :)
Dad's Birthday - July 26th, 2006----just 17 days before his passing. Still smiling, still eating cake, still having a shot with his buddies.
So today, I honour my Dad....Russell Hawrychuk - he wasn't perfect, let's be serious no one is, but he was a Good Man, a Great Dad, a Great Husband, and a Great Friend.....and he is missed everyday and always.
This song was played at his funeral. It came out in the spring of that year, and to this day it is a song that touches me like no other.
A Good Man - Emerson Drive
I don’t need a whole lot of money
But I wouldn’t turn a lottery down
I just need a little green in my pocket
So I can buy my buddies a round
All I want is a place to lay my head with the woman I love lyin’ in my bed
Kind of understated
My dreams aren’t that complicated…
I wanna be the one
When all is said and done
Who lived a good life, loved a good wife, and always helped someone in trouble
On the day they lay me down
I want everyone to gather ‘round
And say he was a father, brother, neighbour and a friend
He was a good man!
I used to dream of being a rock star
And seein’ the world in style
Used to dream of havin’ a fast car
And driving that miracle mile
But I’ve heard tales those streets aren’t paved in gold
They’re full of pot holes and empty souls
Who never learn…
Love is something you gotta earn
I wanna be the one
When all is said and done
Who lived a good life, loved a good wife, and always helped someone in trouble
On the day they lay me down
Want everyone to gather ‘round
And say he was a father, brother, neighbour and a friend
He was a good man!
When I’m gone, I wanna leave a legacy
Of love and laughs and honesty behind me
Behind me…
I wanna be the one
When all is said and done
Who lived a good life, loved a good wife, and always helped someone in trouble
On the day they lay me down
Want everyone to gather ‘round
And say he was a father, brother, neighbour and a friend
He was a good man…
Yaaaaa…I wanna be a good man…a father, a brother, a neighbour, and a friend
I wanna be a good man!
