Happy Birthday to my father-in-law!

Alles Gute zum Geburtstag, Gunar! Hoffe du hast einen schonen tag! Today is my father-in-law, Gunar’s birthday. A man I have known for well over half my life. My children were the first ones to break him in as Papaw. Through the years, I have seen him at his best and worst. Somehow, I was always available when he was in the hospital for surgery. That’s where the “worst” comes in. We have a unique relationship and he’s taught me so much over the years. Gunar was born and raised in East Germany. He and his family were able to make their way to the US after WWII and lucky for me, they settled in Texas. Maintenance genes run for generations in his family and he carved out a great life working in Texas and Colorado. Around the time Duane and I married, he sold his business in town and began working from home in his shop. Let me think for a moment all the hobbies and pastimes he’s enjoyed. Airplanes (home built, model, and the real thing), race cars (raced the Baja 1000, The Mint 400, Pikes Peak just to name a few), boats (from sailboats to homebuilt with a chainsaw motor), photography and much more. If you were to ask him, I am sure one of the greatest joys he had was running a youth outreach center in our hometown. It took me a while to understand why he dedicated so much time, money and energy to that center. I have read and heard it said that we are a huge reflection of our past. I have heard stories of their time in Germany during the war many times. It finally dawned on me that he was providing a safe place with activities for the youth of the community because growing up as a child during wartime, he lacked that. He may move a little slower, but he still maintains a childlike spirit. Always a smile on his face, a lover of Jesus and all things German, the healing properties of aloe vera and a desire to live until he’s 150 years old. Prost, Gunar!