Till I see you again, Dad.

Duane Scott H.  Oct. 1, 1944- Feb. 17, 2013

While I can't say that it was totally unexpected, it certainly happened faster than I thought it would.   Dad loved to travel and on February 17 he made his final trip... to heaven.   The three weeks prior to his death he had not been well.  He had a seizure one night and never really returned back to his baseline.  Prior to that though, he had been maintaining... no ups, no down.   It was hard to say goodbye but it was reassuring to know that he was whole again, physically, mentally, and spiritually.  Being with him as he took his last breath will forever be etched in my mind.  Holding his hand as he left this earth, forever etched in my heart.  I did my best dad.  I hope you know that I did my best.  I'm sorry that this is how your life ended.  I'm so very sorry.

A cheesy, toothless grin.

Christmas 2012

(hee,hee, he was buried in these!)

Summer 2012

This night we were supposed to go to the Harley Store so dad could look at Harley's.  I borrowed Aunt Karen's van, alerted the nursing staff to have dad ready, commandeered extra help (named Rob) in effort to get Dad to the Harley store so he would stop bugging me!  I called the store on the way to pick up dad to see how late they were open... 6pm.  It was 5:45.  We weren't going to make it.  Dad was so disappointed.  In an effort to lift his spirits, we took him to his next favorite store... any one that sold ice cream.

 His service and burial was in West Virginia at Matics Funeral Home and then our family cemetery.

We gave the kids American flags to carry as a tribute to their grandpa.

Buried next to mom.  

This trip was emotional... I was saying goodbye to my last parent.  My grandparents have been long gone.  My mom died 31 years ago.  And now my dad.  I am parentless.  Kind of like an adult orphan.   I'm sad that I never had that parent-child relationship.  I want to have coffee with my dad; shop with my  mom;  call either one up when I just needed to talk.  I'm envious of those who have that and take it for granted.  It makes me even more determined to be all of that and more for my children.  Oh, enough of the sob story.

The trip to West Virginia wasn't all tears and sadness.  The kids and I really enjoyed visiting my old stomping grounds:  my old house, Aunt Nettie's old house, my old school, the restaurant where I had my first waitressing job, etc.  Not to mention catching up with friends and family!

Here the kids are in the gymnasium of my high school.  "We are the cardinals, the mighty, mighty cardinals.  Everywhere you go, people want to know, who we are so we tell them.  We are the cardinals..."

Sitting on the same bleachers I did so many years ago.

Oh, the memories.

Can you see the river in outside of the windows?

The former high school, then junior high school, now senior adult apartments and medical clinics.  The super mysterious 4th floor is still locked.  I've been in there once.  Only once.

Goodbye dad.  I promise when I see you in heaven I will still roll my eyes laugh at your jokes.