My Dad's Heart in My Daughter!

Today was a good day. After Katelyn and I finished school, we needed to stop by our local hardware store. I, of course, love to look at the paint and tools to see what all I could use to make some cool stuff. Not long after we got there, I lost my daughter. I turned around and she wasn't there. As I rounded the corner, I see her looking inside some glass cases with eyes of excitement and wonder. Most girls would get those kind of eyes when looking at some cute shoes or some really pretty jewelry. NOT MY GIRL!!!! She was looking at pocket knives. These weren't just little pocket knives that wouldn't even cut paper. These pocket knives were the real deal. We are talking $100 real deal. As I walked over she looked up at me and said," Mom, do you see these? I could stand here and look at these all day." At that moment, I almost cried. Part of me saw in her all the things that my dad and her loved and talked about together when he was here. She would follow him around the yard and put a dirty rag in her back pocket just like him. He would show her all his knives and she would look at them like they were gold. The other part of me realized that my dad left a piece of his heart in Katelyn. All those times she hung out with him and learned about motors, carving, tools, and even pocket knives are the times that have shaped her into who she is. I watched her take one knife from the clerk and hold it gently and look at it like it was piece of art. She just kept saying, " Pawpaw would love this one." The whole ride to pick up her brother she talked about those knives and even remembered what they were named. She talked about how cool it would be to go to a knife show and see all the really cool ones that people have. She talked about saving her money and going back and getting the one she really liked. She talked about that Pawpaw loved going to those gun and knife shows and that she would be in heaven if she could go to one. I held back tears as I listened to her go on and on. As sad as it makes me that those times with her pawpaw have been cut short, I was given a glimpse by the Lord that my dad's heart is still in Katelyn. He left a piece of himself in her and she will always remember him and the way they were so much alike. I saw my dad today in my daughter's eyes and I heard him in her voice. I saw him looking at pocket knives in wonder and I heard him talking about how much fun those shows are. I felt him next to me pointing out all the pieces of the knife even though it was my daughter's hand holding it. Today was a good day because I realized that my dad's heart will always be with Katelyn and with me.