Happy Birthday to my PawPaw

Today is the birthday of one of my favorite people in this world. Well, actually, it's safe to say that he IS my favorite person in the world! My PawPaw. He turned the big 8-0! I wish I could be with him to celebrate today, but this damn pacific ocean keeps getting in my way!!!

But since I can't go hang out with him and pig out on cake, I decided to write a little blog about him on his special day.

Some of my fondest memories of him were when he let me tag along with him to his classroom and laboratory at the university where he taught classes. I remember the smell of formaldehyde as I walked around looking at all of his fascinating creatures he had frozen. He would tell me the names of all the different species of insects he had in his office.

Another fond memory was when him, my MawMaw and myself would have long, drawnout, heated games of Scrabble! He would use all of these long, extravagent and foreign words and beat us every time. But MawMaw and I wised up and got the official scrabble dictionary so he wouldnt have these unfair advantages over us!

I think my favorite memory of my PawPaw was when I would stay with them in the summers, and he would come wake me up about 4:30 in the morning on Saturdays to go riding with him. We always went the same place: popeyes, to get a box of their mouthwatering blueberry biscuits. And then we would stop by the gas station , he would get a coffee and I would get a chocolate milk. The whole ride I would talk his head off about my trivial concerns of youth, and he would always listen. It was me and PawPaw time. I miss those drives.

Now, I'm older, I live so far away that Im rarely able to see any of my family at all. But what I would give to see my PawPaw again.....

I love you PawPaw, I hope you know that. Happy Birthday to you! And many, many more!