Some folks may think my pride and joy is my Cub accumulation.  Hogwash!  That distinction goes to my daughter Melissa, hands down.  Whether she's mowing grass or movin' some of my "junk" as she calls it, she is always ready, and eager, to help the old man.  I know she will always be there for us when we need her.

I still remember back twenty something years ago at the hospital when the nurse brought her into the room.  They had asked if we had picked a name yet and we said we were still deciding.  The doctor kept saying the baby was a boy so it was immediately decided he would be John A. after my dad.  When we found out we had a girl we were a little surprised.  Even the doctor said he never expected that.  So now Rosanne and I sat in the room and pondered a girls name.  Rosanne had suggested Samantha.  I said yeah, that's a cool name, I'll call her Sam for short.  Rosie thought for a minute and decided she didn't want that so she went with her second choice "Melissa".  We agreed to that and the nurse put it on the birth certificate.  After she left I looked at my little girl and called her my little Mel. Now Rosie started to wonder if she had made a mistake choosing that name,  She looked at me and said she hoped I wasn't really gonna call her by a boys name.

Whether she's in her car or on a Cub, Melissa feels at ease.  She is always ready to jump in and give a hand.

Well, as a matter of fact, my little girl grew up being called "Mel" not only by me , but my friends as well as many of hers.  Mom never really had a problem with us doing that but she herself always called her Melissa.