Another Birthday - and We are so Thankful for you Dink

Wednesday - September 2, 2009

Dink,
Another year has come and gone and so much has happened since your last birthday my dear brother! We are so thankful for the progress you have made since February. I hope you know how much you are loved - not just by Rhonda and the boys, but by Mom, Mike, and myself as well. ( . . .and the extended family as well!) The thought of losing you when you had the stroke and heart-attack makes my hear quiver from fear. The thought of not having you here with us scared me so much. You have always been the rock, the one we (your siblings) always looked up to as we were growing up. You possesed that leadership quality even though you were a tad bit shy. I really believe John and Mike were a little more outgoing than you or I when we were younger. We just make up for it now that we are older! :):)

It is so good to see you smile and see the progress you hve made. You have worked so hard with your therapy, and we are all so proud of you. seeing you operate the riding lawn mower was unbelievable. I feel that you are to have even more great steps toward your recovery!! You are just like Pappaw and Dad - never give up!!!!!!!!!

I'm reposting the Birthday Wish from last year - I love the pictures I found and posted of you!! Dink, I love you and am sooooooo proud of you!

Your "favorite" sister,
TP aka: Sue


Tuesday, September 2, 2008

What do you say to your oldest brother on his birthday? Happy Birthday Dink! This doesn’t really tell you how much you are loved – regardless of all the hard times you have given me through the years. You are the big brother, John, Mike, and I have always looked up to – even though we may not have told you that!

I remember when John and I were first graders and we thought it was so neat to have a big brother out on the playground with us. Little did we know that we had embarrassed you by running up and saying “Hi Dinky!” Woe is me - we had NO idea you went by the name of Bill when at school! You came home and told Mom to tell us NOT to call you Dink or Dinky at school. So the next day, we saw you on the playground and we just waved at you! We didn’t call you Dink at school anymore. It wasn’t until we were older that we realized you weren’t ashamed of us – just that you wanted to be called Bill at school. We never did call you Bill at school or at home – you will always be Dink!

I also remember how much of a protector you were – especially with Mike! When he was little, you always took his part with the neighbors who thought they could pick on him because he was so much smaller. Look at him now – he can protect us all!

We were the two who always went up in the “holler” to stay with Mamaw and Papaw. You were there to help in the fields and the garden, and I was to help at the house. But somehow, I ended up helping both in the house, the garden, and even the hay field. Those were really the “good old days” and I wouldn’t change anything about what we did.

I hope and pray that you have had a great birthday! You have a wonderful family – Rhonda, Billy, and Bobby who love you so much! Don’t forget that Mom, Mike, and I love you as much. I know that if John were here he would have called to say happy birthday as well.
So from all who love you – Happy Birthday Dink!!!!!!

Oh yeah, I forgot to say I’m posting some pictures! Hope you enjoy them!