My Daughter, Random Thoughts and Daddy-Daughter Date Reposted

My Daughter, Random Thoughts and Daddy-Daughter Date Reposted

By Andrea Tadpole-Broussard 

4/27/23

I woke up at 2am this morning and I cannot go back to sleep. Here I am laying in bed in New Jersey at my daughter's. I have been here for a month caring for her. I am heading home soon. I am going to miss her and my granddaughters so bad it hurts. So many memories have been running through my mind so, I started scrolling through my old blog posts and listening to praise and worship music. Then this blog post popped up. I miss my Daddy so bad I think my heart will ache for the rest of my days. Oh, what I would give for another day like this one! I love and miss you Daddy!! ♥️♥️♥️

Daddy-Daughter Date

By Andrea Tadpole-Broussard

1/6/2020

Last night my Dad called me and asked me if I wanted to go running around with him today, just me and him. I said, "You mean a Daddy-Daughter date like the one when you took me to Arthur Treachers Fish and Chips when I was a little girl?" He laughed and said, "Sure! We can grab something to eat while we are out." So we planned our date.

Here I am, 57 years old and I was just as excited as I was 50 years ago when I went on my first Daddy-Daughter date with him. There have been others over the years but for some reason this time I felt more special than I have in a long time. I woke up early and made myself look as pretty as I could. As I did, memories flooded my mind of my mother fixing my hair and dressing me up real pretty so long ago. I felt like a princess way back then.

Today, my Dad came and picked me up. We spent a few hours running errands around town. We were trying to decide where to eat lunch and my Dad said, "I would take you to Arthur Treachers if I could." They closed up many years ago, but hearing him say that melted my heart. We settled for lunch at Cracker Barrel. We just spent time together talking and laughing. We stopped by my son's house to see him for his birthday. We got to see my little grandson Michael and my daughter-in-love Victoria too. I sat there and watched Michael play peekaboo with us and realized there were three generations in the room. I thought how blessed I am that I still have my Dad around.

I have always been a Daddy's girl. The journey we have been on together has not always been perfect. Through my teenage years and young adulthood we often fought things out like two rams colliding with our horns. I spent a lot of time angry at the world and shut him out. Yet, we always seemed to find our way back to eachother. That is how love is, it never gives up.

Like I said, I have always been a Daddy's girl growing up even though I would not let anyone know. He was tall and strong and no matter how mad he might be at me he would come to my rescue at the drop of a hat. Today he is much older and not as strong but I know he would rescue me if he could. He was my hero back then and still is today.

I realized today I did not take any pictures. I always take pictures. It occurred to me that I was too busy feeling like a princess and enjoying my Daddy-Daughter date with my sweet Daddy. Today is etched in my heart just like our date at Arthur Treachers so many years ago.

I love you Daddy 💜

My Place I Call Home

My Place I Call Home

By Andrea Tadpole-Broussard

4/26/23

For most of my life, I have danced on the edge inside just trying to survive. I have always felt like I am on the outside looking in and never managed to fit in anywhere. I have never felt at home anywhere.

In March, I came to New Jersey to help my daughter after major surgery. I had only planned to be here for 2 weeks. Her insurance and hospitals decided to play games and unapproved and reapproved her surgery. They fought back and forth. She finally had her surgery a week ago. So, I have spent over a month here. I am not upset about it. I have missed her desperately and am grateful for the time we have spent together. However, I realized that I finally do feel like I have a place that is home to me in my heart.

God blessed me with my own home over a year ago. In that time I have seen my father and step dad die and helped my mother gain back her independence after a near fatal surgery. It has all been so difficult. Yet, I realize now that through it all, my home truly has been my place of safety and comfort.

Life tends to be a twisty, windy, jacked up mess for me most days. Being the oldest, I tend to be the one everyone expects to fix things. I have learned that it is not my job anymore. I just have to give it to God and trust Him. That is easier said than done. But eventually, I do let go.

I was sitting on my porch a few months ago, rocking in the swing my Daddy insisted that I have years before he died. I was looking out at the school across the street that I went to when I was a kid. It dawned on me that I was the happiest in my childhood at that time. It was before all the bad stuff started.

I never in a million years would have thought I would live where I do. Yet, God knew better than me. Every time someone walks in my home for the first time, they say how peaceful it is. That peaceful feeling is what led me to buy it.

There is more…I never planned to be able to have a room dedicated to my art, sewing, and other creative endeavors. I have one now. It is weird in a way. When I go into my artroom and create, it feels like God has wrapped me in a warm blanket. It is my private, sacred, safe place.

Barring any major problems, I will be heading back to Oklahoma this Saturday with a whole new gratitude for my place I call home in this crazy world.

A Little Dime from Heaven

By Andrea Tadpole-Broussard 

4/18/23

So, call me crazy...well,  I am. Anyway, I was wishing I could call my Dad today. He was always the voice of reason and calm on the phone for me. Being the medical person he was, he would have already filled me with a plethora of info on my daughter's surgery. While I was in the surgery waiting area during her surgery I felt like I was flying through the air without a safety net. That net being my Dad. I silently told him, "I just wish you would let me know you are here." Then I busied myself reading and forgot about the request. My daughter made it through okay. As we were getting in the car to go home I saw a dime on the ground right in front of my car door. I know it was my Dad's way of saying he is still near us all the time. I managed to get my daughter home safe and sound. Now she is on the mend. I am grateful for the reminders like this one today that I am not alone.

Valkarie

Valkarie

By Andrea Tadpole-Broussard 

4/10/23

Once in awhile I am blessed with the opportunity to just click on all levels with an animal. This beautiful dog is one of them. Her name is Valkarie. She is my daughter's boyfriend Chris's dog. She is so smart and intuitive. She has a beautiful, gentle and grateful spirit. Chris rescued her a few years ago when she was about a year old. I am so grateful I got to meet her and spend time with her! She has made it her job to take care of me since I got here. I still have a heavy heart and miss my Dad deeply most days. I think she knows that. She has brought me deep joy; something I have needed so much. God comes to us in many ways. He uses animals a lot in my life. I am truly grateful for meeting this gorgeous, kindred spirit. 💖