My Dad and Peter

I still remember the first time my dad met Peter. Dad, Malcolm, and Jim were camping out by Johnson City (I think) waiting for the “go girls” to finish up fitness camp. Peter, Coco (the dog) and I packed our tent and headed up there. Dad had reserved a camp site for us that was real close to the motor home. It was a beautiful park with a nice big pool and beautiful trees. As we got out of Peters truck my Dad walked up to him and shook his hand, they instantly got a long really well. Peter told my Dad all about the bait shop and fishing and Dad told Peter stories about hunting. This might have been the moment I knew Peter and I were a serious thing. Later that day we all went kayaking and it was an absolute blast. Jim fell out of the kayak on some rapids and I think he lost his wallet or phone or something that you should never have in your pockets when kayaking;) Shortly after we got back to the campsite, the “go girls” showed up. I think they were in my Dad’s big white Excursion because I remember thinking Corrie looked so tiny in that big vehicle! As they pulled in Coco (the dog) and I walked over to them and they all saw Peter sitting there talking to my Dad. I remember Corrie saying “ooh Loren, he is so handsome.” The rest of the weekend was a blast. Before we left on Sunday we stopped at a little diner to eat breakfast and Peter tried to buy my Dad and Corrie’s breakfast. Haha, I guess I didn’t warn him that it would be next to impossible to do so unless you sneak the money to the waitress. Peter thanked him for everything and my Dad said something along the lines of “can’t wait to do it again.” My Dad had met all of my boyfriend’s since I was a Freshman in high school and this is the first time I remember thinking “aw, Dad really really likes him.” “Likes” him would soon turn out to be an understatement. Over the next year Dad would come to San Antonio and take us out to dinner or we would go to Austin for dinner and Dad and Peter would sit and talk and laugh for hours. We went to one of Dad’s AWWC Cookouts and Peter became his cooking assistant (that’s a big honor in Dad’s eyes.) One weekend Dad was working out on the church property and needed help deconstructing an old house. Traylor was already coming to help and Dad asked Peter if he wanted to and Peter did. You would think it would be hard, boring work but you would be WRONG. Every time I went out to check on them or take them food they were cracking up, chasing each other with a chain saw, getting stung by bees and laughing, or playing on a little back hoe looking machine.

When I called Dad to tell him Peter and I were getting married he said “oh, that’s wonderful” then I followed it up with “and I’m having a baby”, he got choked up and told me I had found a wonderful guy and he couldn’t be happier. Later that week, Andrea, Daniel, Gamma, Corrie, Dad, and I met at Kobe Steakhouse in San Marcos to share the good news and it turns out Dad and Corrie had good news of their own, they were also getting married!!!! Maybe we inspired them;) The next few months were a whirl wind, I was emotional, sick, and stressed. The night before our wedding, Dad was so excited to take Peter out and do a bachelor party type thing. Traylor, Dad, Peter and a few more guys went out and had a blast (I won’t even ask what they did.) On the evening of my wedding right before Dad walked me down the isle he gave me a beautiful, silver James Avery cross necklace. He told me how happy he was that I found such a good guy and there was no doubt in his mind that Peter would NEVER do anything to harm me. He said he knew that Peter would always take care of me and make me happy. I loved that he felt that way, it was so reassuring. I wish I could find that cross necklace, especially times like now but I’m afraid its long gone. Three months after our wedding, Dad and Corrie were getting married. Dad wanted Traylor and Peter to stay with him at the motor home and go out bachelor partying. I’m pretty sure they had a blast judging by how tired they were the next day.

Over the next 5 years Dad would invite us to hundreds of different things, sometimes just Peter. We would go camping, go to the beach, go tailgating, and more. Every time he went fishing he asked Peter to go, usually he couldn’t because of work but its the thought that counts. He bought Peter his first gun and second and  third.  He taught Peter how to hunt which Peter never thought he would enjoy, turns out he was wrong, he loved it!!!  Dad was with him when he shot his first deer. Peter shot the first time and missed then the deer came back and Peter got so excited he shot without putting his ear plugs back in. Dad lovingly called him an idiot;)

Dad and Peter liked to “gang” up on me and tell funny Loren stories, it was cute. Dad loves Peter so much and Peter loves him. Once again, I am very blessed.