Another Dose Needed

A Double Triple Dose of Dads

About 30 years ago, God blessed me with my stepdad, Wayne. Once Tanner, the first grandchild, was born, my stepdad's name changed to Whack. We have affectionately been calling him that ever since.

Several years ago, Whack's health became a major issue. The Lord saw fit to completely heal him by taking him home in June 2007. Today March 6th was his birthday. In honor of him and what he meant to me, I would like to share some memories with you.

*Whack was a single dad raising 2 boys when he met my mom all those years ago. He loved to play sports, but softball was his favorite. He and my mom actually met at the softball field.

This is Whack and Nana (my mom)

*Whack was a pitcher and he stuck his tongue out with every pitch. He was known as "Hollywood" back then with his red afro and orange tinted sunglasses.

*Needless to say, we spent a lot of time at the ball field. One night, Whack was playing a game, and my siblings and I were playing in an open area at the end of the field. Someone was being mean to me so I had to walk beside the field to go tell my mom of the injustice that had occurred. The next thing I know, a foul ball hits me in the head and knocks me off my feet! The batter behind this infraction - WHACK!!! He felt really bad, but not nearly as bad as my head!!!

*There were 5 children (yours-2; mine-2; ours-1) in my family, and we were not cheap. So, Whack worked 2 jobs - a full-time 9 to 5 & a newspaper route in the middle of the night. He also played sports & coached our teams in between. There must have been more than 24 hours in his day! I can't remember him ever complaining about his schedule either. My mom may have a different story to tell, but even so, he never complained in front of us (the kids.)

*Whack came from a musically talented family. Singing was his strong suit. He also had a signature dance move that he performed only when he was driving. It makes me laugh just thinking about it!

*Whack played with us. He was never too busy or too tired. I can remember we would divide into 2 teams and Whack would be the pitcher for both sides. He was also the referee. He gave us instruction & encouragement.

*Supervising was a role Whack did very well. My older stepbrother would cringe & probably have nightmares if he heard me say "french drain!"

I could go on and on about Whack. Instead, I'll just spend some time praising God for making Whack a part of my life.

Oh, just one more thing..... Whack taught me about the importance of always making time for family and taking care of them. I hope I leave the same legacy.