Made me think

On the way home from the grocery store this afternoon, I was searching through the radio and stopped on a country stations. Now, I'm not normally a country fan, but there was really nothing on! So this song came on the radio, and surprisingly, caught my attention.

Just Fishin' - Trace Adkins

I’m lost in her there holdin’ that pink rod and reel
She’s doin’ almost everything but sittin’ still
Talkin’ ‘bout her ballet shoes and training wheels
And her kittens
And she thinks we’re just fishin’

I say, “Daddy loves you, baby” one more time
She says, “I know. I think I got a bite.”
And all this laughin’, cryin, smilin’ dyin’ here inside’s
What I call, livin’
And she thinks we’re just fishin’ on the riverside

Throwin’ back what we could fry
Drownin’ worms and killin’ time
Nothin’ too ambitious
She ain’t even thinkin’ ‘bout
What’s really goin’ on right now
But I guarantee this memory’s a big’in
And she thinks we’re just fishin’

She’s already pretty, like her mama is
Gonna drive the boys all crazy
Give her daddy fits
And I better do this every chance I get
‘Cause time is tickin’ (Yeah it is)
And she thinks we’re just fishin’ on the riverside
Throwin’ back what we could fry
Drownin’ worms and killin’ time
Nothin’ too ambitious
She ain’t even thinkin’ ‘bout
What’s really goin’ on right now
But I guarantee this memory’s a big’in
And she thinks we’re just fishin’

She ain’t even thinkin’ ‘bout
What’s really goin’ on right now
But I guarantee this memory’s a big’in
And she thinks we’re just fishin’
Yeah, aww, she thinks we’re just fishin’
We ain’t only fishin’ (This ain’t about fishin’)

Now it wasn't the fishing part that I liked so much - after all, I am as far from "outdoorsy" as a girl can get! What struck me was the thoughts from the Dad as he and his daughter made memories together. The child was just enjoying time with her Daddy, while he was learning about and building a relationship with his little girl.

And as the lyrics to this song has replayed itself in my head, I keep drifting back to moments with my Daddy. Some of the best times from my childhood that I remember of just me and my Daddy are the times where we were out running errands together, riding around and talking. . . sometimes shopping! :) A memory that stands out above many is when Daddy took me shopping for school supplies. He bought the things that I needed as well as bunch of stickers so I could decorate my notebooks. That was a great evening. . . not because my Daddy bought me stuff, but because he was meeting me where I was at, enjoying the things that I enjoyed. I love those times with my dad. . . running errands, going to breakfast, talking about everything and nothing at the same time.

Now as an adult, I look back on those times and realize that it wasn't just about the stickers.. . it was about the conversations, the relationship between me and Daddy.
I am so blessed and proud to be able to call Latimer Alexander my father. What an incredible man he is. I am so thankful for all those "just fishin' " times in my life that we have shared. And I find such joy in all those "just fishin' " moments that Lucy already has shared with her Poppa - I know there will be many more. Love you, Daddy.