Happy Birthday.

6 years ago, god took away one of the greatest treasures in my life. My father. My dad was a hard worker who did everything in his power to support his family, make sure there was always food on the table, and a roof over our heads. Growing up in a strong portuguese household work ethic was always a big thing with my father. "What are you going to do with your future?" was always a common question between my father and I. We'd talk about what I thought i'd like to do, and what I may of wanted for my future. We use to joke about how one day I'd take over the family business... Which is more than unlikely... for 1. I was never a fan of physical labor (as you can see in my lack of a gym membership and my desk job) and 2. It was dirty. haha.

For anyone who doesn't know, my father ever since moving to this country when he was little always had a passion for farming. Dairy farming to be exact. He always had a small farm with a few cows, maybe a goat or two. It was a full time job in itself. He use to wake up, and be out of the house by 5:30am, every day. 7 days a week. He would stop by the farm, feed the cows, milk them, get changed and off to work he went. He worked full-time at a local greenhouse as a manager. After his 9-5 was done, he'd head back to the farm to round up the cows, milk the others, and head home. By the time I saw my dad it would be close to 7 o'clock at night. Many a nights I remember going to the farm with my mom at night to either drop off food, help feed the cows, or just spend time there as a family.

One day, my father decided he was going to turn this little farm of his into the cash-cow he's been hoping for. One day he up and left his life at the greenhouse to start his calling/passion. He began to make a full-time career out of dairy farming, and thus.. Narciso Holsteins DBA was created. My father took care of us the way he knew how, by working his ass off to make sure we never went without. We never took family vacations, we never really hung out as a family unless it was late as night, or if we went to the farm on the weekends to see him. His work week was a full 7 days a week, with 12-13 hour days.. with maybe a half hour or so in the middle of the day to swing by home for lunch.

Most of high school I felt estranged from my father. Growing up from being a boy into a man, and not really having a father figure around to help you with that was hard. But he use to try as hard, and as much as he could. He'd come home late at night and cook dinner while my mom was out working her 2nd job, and we use to bond. use to talk about my future, what I saw, what I wanted, and thats where the jokes would stem from. I was never one to really "get dirty" but as much as I would complain about going to the farm to help out, many a weekends I'd spend with my father at the farm feeding the cows, driving the tractor, milking, shoveling shit... Believe it or not.. I use to get down and dirty. I'd come home smelling like cow manure, waiting to just hop in the shower, and then pass out on the couch for hours, just like my father did.

I remember not really understanding as a kid why my father was never around, why we could never take a family vacation, I never really understood it... I just always assumed it was abnormal for families to do things like that. The times we did spend together as a family are the times that I cherish the most. Those weekends where we would all go and help out as a family, make it home just as the sun was setting, hop in the shower and then go out to eat as a family were the memories I remember, and will always cherish. As much as we use to joke about Joshua taking over the family business.. I could never. When my father passed away, his brothers and sisters did what they could to keep the farm running and operating as much as they could... before it was just time to sell it. As we sold the farm I remember thinking to myself how we let my father down, but in the end... we knew its what was best, as did he.

I may never be the man my dad once was, but I strive to continue to grow as a man, as a human, as a son, as a brother... and one thing that will always stick with me is my dads strength, determination, willingness to help others, his drive, his work ethic, and his class and morals. He was the last of a dying breed. To find workers like him in this day in age is almost impossible. To find somebody with a heart like his, and a passion for what they love to do is rare. No matter how much work it was, no matter how cold it was out, no matter how much pain he was in, or how sick he was... he worked hard. and he got the job done.

If I could just be half the man my dad once was. Then I'd be okay with that. Here's to you dad, up in heaven. May you always rest in peace and hopefully see your smiling face once again. Happy Birthday Dad. Your always in my prayers and memories, but this Wednesday January 27, 2010. I'll be celebrating the life you once led on this earth. Happy Birthday Dad.