Today, 4/26/2010, would have been my father's 89th Birthday. It's been a year and some months now since he's left this earth and so many things has come up since then. I still thank God for the time we had together. Unfortunately, there is the business of death that's been difficult. It was hard for me to focus on my sorrows this past first anniversary. My only grandson was sick himself and landed in the hospital with phnemonia. That was more important... the living. Dad had signed his name to a will that didn't leave me anything. Was that important to me? I suppose all my life there were a couple things I knew, that my parent's house and the Apra Hts property would be mine. All else, up for grabs! My parents had asked me before my mom died, if the Florida property could go to Vince, my father's son. No problem I thought, thinking and probably hoping it will go to my nephew, Vince. I live in the west coast, and really had no desire to travel to Florida. I heard Vince loved to vacation there. My parents even asked me to give up the property my biological parents were giving me. And that I had more than enough. Funny how things work out.

Thanksgiving

Going to Vegas, I had one idea...to be with my Dad. I had no expectations, no questions for him, I just wanted to be. Every day I was there, I helped him with the simple things in his life...put blistex on his parched lips, lotioned his itchy back from the bile invading his system, massaging his head and eyes. Simple. But my father, no matter what I did, in his most humbled state, never skipped a beat to tell me he loved me, followed immediately by a thank you.

Dad, Thank You for everything and I Love You...too.

Tho Time is Short, I'm Yours

December 13-16, 2008

This evening I sit quietly thinking of my dad and the past eleven days I spent with him. So many events happened but all so quickly. All the grands were able to be there by his bedside. Sherry flew in from St. Louis. Vince and son, Mason, came from Sacramento. My kids, Susa and Ralna, had a bumpy flight from San Francisco. Nikki and boyfriend, Jay, started their drive from San Diego, picked up Ralph and his son, Julius, from LA to trek over to Las Vegas. Not easy to all come together, but it was meant to be. Dad was so happy and had many stories to tell that weekend. I know he felt loved and is so proud of all his Grand Children. He did say that he felt he was causing all these problems. There were reasons for him to be in Las Vegas. I know he truely wanted to be home and to go home, but if that were so, these opportunites would have been lost. Home is where the heart is.