- I'm not able to call him after watching one of our favorite shows to debrief about the show.
- He's not there to pick up my son(s) from the bus stop anymore.
- I no longer get emails from him throughout my work day.
- I'm getting past due lunch statements from my sons schools because he's no longer here to pay on their books.
- My husband and I had to scramble to find a way home for my son when the school called becuase he had become ill. My dad was always on stand by (the boys school would call him before they would call me or my husband).
- I am unable to meet him at our favorite breakfast spot on Saturdays.
- His face will never be in the crowd at any of the boys school, church, or extracuricular events.
- I will not be able to call him to update him on my students, my job, or life.
- David will never come home again and tell me about a profound conversation he had with my dad.
- The boys will never call me again while they're with their PaPa and tell me something goofy he has done while he's protesting in the background.
- I will never again get a comment on FaceBook from a friend saying they saw my dad at the store.
- My boys will not run in the house anxious to give me a "goody bag" that my dad put together for me with all my favorite snacks after their weekend stay at their grandparents.
- I won't get a mysterious package in the mail because he ordered me the latest and greatest gadget.
- I will never see him again.
I can go on and on and on. And those are just the day to day occurances. I haven't even gotten into our annual traditions, holidays, or flowers he sent me every year on my birthday from Kindergarten til my most recent birtday... How will I feel this year when they don't come for the first time in my life? I feel sick in the pit of my stomach when I think of the life I once had the life that will never return. I feel like I dined at my favorite restaurant, had my left overs placed in a to go container, went the next day to retrieve the left overs from the frig, mouth watering with anticipation...and the left overs are gone!! My soul is still yerning with anticipation but my dad is gone.
The past weeks have represented how much of a strong and constant presence he was in my life (our life). If I had an opportunity for my dad to come back to earth for a little while longer I would decline. How could I ever ask my father to come back here after experienceing such a beautiful treasure as Heaven?? I know he's in a better "place"...I'm just not sure what "place" I'm in.