My Dad

This time of year is always hard for me because my dad's birthday is in October, he passed away in November, and he always MADE the holidays what they were in our house. I think about him every day but it is always harder this time of year. I know a lot of you knew my dad, Jim Cheatham, and a lot of you did not (but you probably almost feel like you know him from all of the crazy stories). I know Jeff wishes he got to meet him too.

It was very sad not having him there on my wedding day and even sadder he is not here now. I know most people probably wouldn't call up their dads about morning sickness, heartburn, and the weepies, but I would. I was dad's gal in every sense. Not "daddy's little girl" - I don't think I was babied or overly spoiled by him, we just loved each other's company! He was the dad that told me I could do whatever I set my eyes on, the dad that drove to Austin in the middle of the night when I got in a stupid fight with a boyfriend to take me out to breakfast, the dad that sent me 8 cards for my birthday in the mail even though we lived in the same house. He was my dad and I wish he was here just to talk to, give me advice, and one of his great, big hugs.

Reese, I know you will never get to meet him, but I hope I can share stories and pictures so that you know who he was. He would love you so much! So I thought I would start today with some pictures so you get a sense of who he was.

I had to put a picture on here of us doing his FAVORITE thing in the WHOLE world (besides eating of course) - deep sea fishing. He loved it so much and any excuse to get to Florida, San Juan, or the coast, he would. We loved to fish as a family until my brother and I became too cool to wake up at 3am on a Saturday to go fishing.

He also LOVED football. I think he loved UT more than I did! In this picture he is wearing those stupid foam horns and kissing me on the cheek in my dorm room my Freshman year. He was so proud of me!

The last picture my dad is somewhere in the Caribbean, can't remember where. I think my step-mom, Beth took this picture. It is a great picture but the story behind it is even better. When my dad was in a bad car wreck that left him paralyzed in his 20s, he lost a tooth. Well, on the cruise was when his fake tooth decided to fall out. So the guy who normally had a big grin on his face, had to spend the rest of the trip smiling with his lips closed!

I hope this will help you get to know him and it helps me to spend a little time crying and remembering him. I just hope Jeff and I can be half as great of parents as he was. And I'll sign off the way he did all of his cards and letter...God Bless, Dad (with a smiley face in the D :)).