chickadee~

Today is my Dad's birthday ...

  I called Mom this morning and made a comment about today would be Dad's birthday and she corrected me on my comment about it right away and said, "what do you mean 'would' be his birthday, it IS his birthday.  He's just spending it in a better place."  The big glorious birthday party in Heaven!  Don't you think there's a daily B'day party with cake and ice cream, balloons and gifts and angels doing back flips and acrobatic twirls?

I miss my Dad. 

When I was born, I was named Melody Jane.   I was given a nickname by my Dad right from the beginning.  It was a long one.  I was told that it started out as him calling me Janie Bug Melody My Little Chickadee Dee.  As time went on Dee Dee stuck with everyone that I could remember and that's what I was called ... except for Dad ... he still called me his Janie Bug Melody as a shortened version OR he would say My Little Chickadee Dee ... which then over time was shortened to Chickadee. 

I was Daddy's Chickadee and Dee Dee to the rest of the world ~ and it suited me fine ... I was never addressed as Melody.

Then I had to start school.

I remember the teacher calling my name, Melody.  I ignored her, until she was right in my face telling me that when my name was called I had to answer.  Honestly, I didn't know that was my name, I thought it was Dee Dee.  

 I was corrected ... in school my name WILL be Melody, as that was what was on my records. 

I was little; but I still remember crying and crying at home because the teacher kept calling me Melody and my name was Dee Dee.  That's when Mom started calling me Melody and dropped using my nickname and I also remember her telling my siblings, "call her Melody" so she learns her name.  I also remember crying to Daddy about the mean old teacher who calls me Melody and being comforted by him. He told me that everybody was right and I did need to know and use my real name now that I was in school; but I would always be his little girl, his little Chickadee.

YEARS later...
Daddy was in his eighties ... me my fifties ... and I have now become Mel to most, Melody to some...
to my Dad, I was still "little girl ~ even though I outweighed him in the end
or more fondly called by him,
"his little Chickadee". 

Yes, Dad... your little Chickadee misses you and wishes you the happiest birthday ever up there in Heaven!!

Until next time...
So it goes in my neck of the woods.
~mel