My father is 78 today.
I stopped up to see him with Pamela and my daughter Sarah.
He couldn’t quite figure out how to blow out the candle so we helped him out.
He didn’t seem to mind.
He proceeded to eat the whole damn thing.
God bless him.
I’m off to bed, long day folks.
Later gators . . .
~m
Smoke & Mirrors 
I think that is one of the most sweetest pictures I’ve ever seen. I just keep staring at it. His lips, pursed together trying to blow the candle out. The look on your face, like C’mon Dad, you can do it. Just precious. I’m sure he had a great day!!
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I don’t know you, but I came across your blog via my tag surfer.. I hope you don’t mind me randomly commenting! That photo speaks a thousand words.. As our parents get older, we end up in the care role that they previously held. It’s never easy.. But your photo shows that even with that role reversal, we still look up to our parents, no matter what. 🙂
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Great pic.
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Thank you Michael for sharing this precious moment in the life of you and Dad.
Great photo, love flowing all over the place!
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I dont know you but I’ve read your pages about you and your relationship with you r dad, and you are so good at expressing your thoughts and feelings on those pages about how much you care for him and how much this disease has taken a toll. You didn’t even have to write much on this post – the picture screams volumes; you are a wonderful son, and it’s obvious, he is a wonderful father – God Bless you BOTH!
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it’s quite strange michael…i’m in the middle of doing a post about my dad because he’s 75 today (which is the 24th here)….then in the middle of it (read, when i got stuck on what to say next) i thought i’d do some visiting and this is what i find…i hope your dad had a wonderful day…it would seem he enjoyed his cake if nothing else 🙂
love the pic by the way…your eyes say so much…..and the hope still shows too which is a wonderful thing to see….
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He is a good man-you, you’re GREAT!
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Happy Birthday, Wally. Love the picture – it says it all.
Annie
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happy birthday to your dad! bless him and i hope he has many more!
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That’s a great picture, Michael. Thanks for sharing it!
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What a cute picture. Yay for him for eating the whole cake!! It’s what we all want to do but don’t want to be impolite. And, it’s not! It’s your birthday, you can do what you want!!!
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I never read your blog but i just looked at the picture today and read all of the comments and its pretty cool what people say about you. Love you Dad!
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They often say a picture is worth a 1000 words Michael, yet that soesn’t seem enough to express the feelings that this picture expresses Happy Birthday to your Dad
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Michael-
What a heart warming picture! One to treasure forever….
With the one candle in the middle, I ‘m betting he looked at you like that on your birthdays…exactly the same way!
Father and son…..Happy 78th Birthday, Mr. Murphy!
Happy ‘early’ Father’s Day! The picture says it all!
🙂 Lynn
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Just wanted to send out a heartfelt ‘Thank You’ to all that commented on this post.
Oddly enough, this was a last minute post before I went to bed.
It amazed me that it received so many warm comments.
If my Dad knew, he would say thank you all.
To Jenna– thanks for finally commenting! 😉
I pray you stop back here and read more posts. You may find I write some good stuff after all. There’s nothing I’d love more than having my daughters as my greatest fans.
~Dad
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Michael, May 9th, I did the exact same thing. I brought a cake to my mom at the long term center, and had to encourage her to blow out the candle on her birthday cake. 86 years young. It took me a few tries to pantomime what I wanted her to do…but finally she blew out the candle. And I made the wish! She looked so confused and lost. Because she is so deaf, I wrote on her erase board…..’how old are you , mum? and shyly she looked at me and said,,99?? I wrote, Yes, mum, and you look really good! And she smiled. I wasn’t going to tell her she just turned 86.
A few months ago she said, 160??……she doesn’t have Alzheimer’s,,just your normal confusion…being diabetic,,,congenital heart failure,,kidney failure…etc.
I know the pain and hurt you’re going through. And yet, I’d rather deal with that, than deal with death.
Cheers…..sort of!
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Awww. That is adorable. At 78, he can have all the cake he wants!
We’re lucky Pop has his faculties for the most part (he’s 86). He was slightly forgetful the first two weeks he was here, but he’s really perking up. And his appetite has increased too. We’ve determined that he was subsisting on cerel, soup and peanut butter and crackers while he was alone, who knows for how long really. Now he’s getting fried chicken and potatoes, tacos, ziti, tortellini, etc. It makes me happy to see him eating so well. I’m trying to find new things to make to give him more variety.
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Happy belated birthday, Wally. I hope you enjoyed eating your cake.
This is a great picture, Michael. It seems to really capture you taking care of and loving your dad. Thank you for sharing it.
Hope you’re doing well. I know holidays and birthdays can be a mix of bittersweet sometimes.
~Kelsey
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So awesome. Cake is so good, and I’m glad to know it’s still just as good at 78!!! Cheers, anabel
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WOW Michael, that pic is just awesome….
Hope the memory keeps you smiling for a while buddy
Kelly
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Happy Birthday to Wally!
hugs to Michael M.
kudos to whoever took that photo.
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Michael–Happy belated Birthday to your Dad. That’s a wonderful picture–the look on your face sums it all up. Hope you’re well–I’m catching up on my friends so I’ll be back soon. Take care.
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