bigger fish to fry

meet davey.

also known as "swave dave, carpet king", papaw david, and daddy.



he's the patriarch of this motley crew.



and while he looks big and tough and squeezes you so tight when he hugs you, you think you'll break, he's really a gentle giant.

a working man, who uses his calloused hands to put down flooring - carpet, hardwood, and tile.

but also, an artist - creating beautiful designs out of ceramic, clay, and oak.
i know. all of the rooms in my house were covered by davey. he designed the pattern for the tile in my master bath and taught me how to use a wet saw so i could help him on our mud room and second bath. ( now, he did put a hole in my den wall when he put down the hardwoods there, but i try to overlook that.)

he's also a man with huge heart.

the center of his heart, well obviously, his family.



mama lou, mamaw & papaw, glenda, kelly & clay, nathan & cindy, jonathan & april, and a whole slew of grandchildren, ....including little miss kate, who's due to make her appearance any day now.

anything, anytime, if he's able, he's there.

but the beauty of this gentle giant's heart is that you don't have to be a blood relative to bask in his love. he's also at the heart of this bunch.



personally, i've known him quite a while, as his only daughter is basically my sister. he's taken me canoeing, made me go get stitches, cooked me dinner, bought me beer, eaten my Klondike bars, listened as i chewed him out, and let me cry on his shoulder.

davey's heart comes with an umbrella policy.
and it's enormous.


he's also a leader.


especially when it comes to fish frys. he decides when, tells the boys what to do, "asks" the girls to help out, and then once the grease is hot and the tantalizing aroma of flounder, hush puppies, and french fries fills the air, he goes inside to politic, schmooze, and tell stories....... and boy, is he good!

those fish frys, while delightful to the taste buds, were just an extension of that great big heart of his. he raised lots of money for church, for families with medical situations, for kids' programs, you name it.

david martin & fish were always a winning combination.

were.

were.

because monday evening, his great big heart gave out.

and now all of ours are broken, and we're wondering how the void he left will ever begin to heal.

it was too soon, way too soon.

the only thing i can figure out,
is that the lord just had some bigger fish for davey to fry.


love you big guy.