Lessons from Daddy

 For Mothers Day, I wrote an extensive list of ways I am like my mom, for Father’s Day, I am going to follow a similar pattern and compile a list of the top 10 things my Dad has taught me:




 1)      Daddy insisted on teaching me how to do the basics when it came to my car.  He said it I was going to drive, I needed to know how to do a few simple tasks.  I can now officially check my oil, check my tire pressure, and in theory I can change a flat tire.  I am very very good at checking my oil levels.  And in the situation of an extreme emergency, I am pretty sure I could change a flat tire, although, I maintain that’s what we pay for road side assistance for!

 2)      In other car related items, Daddy taught me how to parallel park.  Granted, I don’t do it very often, but bottom line is – I CAN if I have to.  When I was in the weeks leading up to my 16^Th birthday, Daddy took me to the WCHS parking lot in the red explorer and used HIMSELF! as the “cone” to teach me to parallel park.  That is a lot of pressure for a 16 year old girl!  “Not only will you not get your licenses, but you run the risk of running your father over with a car”  I may not have agreed with the tactics, but now every time I parallel park, I imagine the car in front of me as my Dad, and try very hard not to hit it.

 3)      It really cannot be avoided – but my Dad has taught me all about the floor covering business.  I did not necessarily think this is what I would do when I was a little girl, but it has turned into my career and I have been doing it for almost 10 years now.  Daddy has been my mentor and my friend professionally and I know if I am ever stumped he is the person to call. 

 4)      Daddy taught me how to water ski and snow ski!  (Which are nothing alike….no matter anyone tells you!  The only similarity is the ability to balance yourself in an upright position) My father does not believe in “quitting”  With water skiing, he drug us around the lake in a half up squatting position on our water skis until we GOT IT! You would say “ok, I think that is a good enough lesson for today” and he would make us try again.  The good news is that we are all relatively good at both sports now because of his insistence on teaching us the basics!

  5)      My Dad taught me to honor my parents.  While it seems like a selfish lesson, watching my Dad care for his mom in the last years of her life gave me an invaluable lesson on treating your parents with the respect and honor they deserve.  For all of my 28 years, my mom and dad have sacrificed and put my sisters and I first.  While there were definitely some years were  I may not have done everything I could to make him proud, I now do everything in my power to honor my parents in the way I live my life and how I love and care for my family.  I may not always succeed, but I always strive to make them proud.

 6)      I mentioned this is my post about Mom too, but Daddy taught us ALL how to nap! That man can take a nap anytime, any place.  Napping is a very valuable life skill.  Believe me.

 7)      Daddy has taught me to stand up for myself and to learn to have thicker skin!  I am a self proclaimed “sensitive person”.  Learning how to express myself and keep my emotions in check is a constant battle, but Daddy’s guidance and support has taught me how to handle things maturely and logically.  'Most' of the time I do the best I can.

8) Mama and Daddy introduced me to something very early in my life to assure that I would never be lonely.  To assure when I felt there were no answers in life, I would have no doubt were to look.  From very early on, we went to church.  Daddy taught us about God and I am so grateful for that gift that he gave us.  

9) Daddy has told us our entire life "I will be walking when you are crawling!" and I truly believe it!  He has taught me that you are only as old as you feel, and Dad has made a conscience effort to NOT be old.  He is a "get up and go" type of guy.  Sitting around is not something you will see my Dad do often.  He will either be fiddling in the yard, working on his latest article on his computer, or, of course, off at the coast sailing on his boat!  I am thankful that my Dad leads an active life, and that he has taught me to enjoy life! Daddy told me one time that you will spend your entire life waking up doing what you have to do instead of what you want to do.  And that when they day comes that you wake up and you are doing what you WANT to do instead of what you have to do, to enjoy every minute of it!  Daddy still has a little bit of "have to" in his life, but I am glad he gets to experience some of the "want to" often.  He has earned it!

10) A few miscellaneous lessons:  Daddy taught me how bait a hook when fishing in Miss Bunny's pond.  He taught me how to de-frag my hard drive.  How to ride a bike.  How I am 'supposed' to use a baseball mitt to catch a ball (this is a lesson that definitely did not stick).  How to hook up jumper cables to my car.  How to get home if I ever got lost while out as a teenager (find signs that say "ATLANTA - They will lead you towards home").  How to escape our house in case of a fire (yeah - he was a volunteer fireman.  I specifically remember having a fire drill) 

Happy Fathers Day Daddy!  Thank you for all the lessons you have and continue to give me!  I love you!

In case you did not already realize it, there are not enough words for how much I adore my Daddy :) 

My Mothers Daughter

In honor of Mothers Day, I have composed a list of the many ways I am like my Mama :)

1. I do not put my pots and pans in the dishwasher. Although some of them claim to be dishwasher safe, I follow Mama's principle, that they shouldn't go in with food on them, and by the time I went to all the trouble to half clean them, I might as well finish it off!

2. In related items, I rinse/wash all my dishes before I put them in the dishwasher.

3. I love sitting by a pool. As kids, we spent our days at the "country club" . Back then, I didn't really realize just how much Mama really loved the pool as much as we do! But this woman is the reason my sisters and I are all water babies! Mama loves the beach, the ocean, the pool....she loves being in the sun and around water!!

4. I hate to sweat. I am not the most outdoorsy girl....and I do not really thrive on exercise. My sisters and my dad are exactly the opposite. But THIS, I get from my mom.

5. My name is Susan :)

6. Mama and I have both broken a leg/foot

7. Cream of Mushroom soup is a staple of my pantry. Seeing as most of my recipes are Mama's....I need this key ingredient to prefect many of her masterpieces :)

8. I cannot keep a secret and I hate surprises! I open my gifts before Christmas. Or I trick people into telling me what they are. Very few times have I actually been truly surprised in public. Most of the time, I find out, enjoy my moment alone, then act surprised later. I get this from my Mama....

9. I have really healthy teeth! Something Mama claims comes from her side :)

10. I am cryer. I wear my emotions on my sleeve, and so does Mama. If I need to cry about something, I know just who to call....

11. Mama and I both love our televisions and our television shows. While I know it would be better for me to be outside enjoying the sunshine...a truly relaxing day involves laying on my couch watching TV.

12. The power of the nap! This is something I might have gotten from my Dad as well, but us Newsomes know how to nap. My husband is not a good napper. But I can take a "30 minute power nap" any time any place. Sunday afternoons in our house growing up, in between morning church and evening church was NAP time. I still take naps on Sunday afternoons!

13. Comet. There are a lot of things out these days to clean a bathroom with, but nothing cleans like Comet and a sponge.

14. In my parents house, there is a cabinet that is strictly for Mom's use. A junk drawer. A place to save little nick knacks. If you ask my mom if she remembers if she talked to one of my sisters she might say "oh I don't know!" If i ask if she knows where that blue crayon hair bow I wore in my second grade school pictures, she can put her hands on it in less than 2 minutes! I, like my Mama, save things that I think are special.

15.  I am not a fan of birds.  Growing up, birds would occasionally get caught on our screened in porch.  Nothing brings more panic than a rouge bird flapping in my face.  Mama agrees....

16.  I am left handed.  Actually, both Mama and Daddy are left handed.....and me :)

17.  Mama and I are NOT dog people.  Mama is barely a pet person at all.  But a dog jumping on us, licking us.....smelling like a dog...is not something we enjoy.  Over the years Mama has come to tolerate and maybe even love our family cat - Rose.  But that is where she draws the line.

18.  Mama is ridiculously silly! Growing up she did not just mother and parent us, she played with us.  She has given us all a love of laughter and being silly!

19.  Mama is an excellent nurse when you are sick!  I am able to be the same way when my husband is sick (although he rarely excepts my help) but my Mama - man, she takes the cake.  She truly knows how to take care of a sick person.  Even now when I am sick, I really only want my Mama!

20.  If one of these days when the time comes, I am HALF The mom as her, I will have really really lucky kids.....

Happy Mothers Day to my Mama! Thank you for making me such a unique person.  I smile when I realize I am doing something because its the way you taught me to!  From the way my kitchen is arranged, to how I do my laundry and the type of detergent I use, all the way down to how I fold my towels - you taught me well! Aside from the household similarities, you made me a woman who knows how to laugh, how to love, and how to cry.  I love you!!!