Well, its been about a year since I last did a blog. WOW, almost a year. It was my goal to do this regularly. Things change. The biggest change since then was the death of my amazing father. I will post my letter about him below.
One more day with you!
4-20-08
Hi dad,
If I had one more day with you time would stand still. I would wake up from sleeping on the couch all cuddled with Boscoe and Lillie. It would probably be late morning. I would walk up the stairs all groggy and see you in the chair smoking a cigarette and drinking coffee. You would be in your white T-shirt and black sweatpants with your silver hair still damp and a towel draped over your shoulder. Our conversation would go like this:
“Mornin hun bun”
“Morning dad”
I would then head to the bathroom. I would come out and sit on the arm of your chair and we would watch ESPN or Fox News. You would put your had on my knee and pat it and say.
“Do you love me today?”
I respond with, “Yep”
“How much”
I would say “Bunches!”
“Alright” you would say.
Then we would chit chat about nothing really, just the usual questions. Did you take boscoe out…oil need to be changed…clean the car….I would say….
“Quit yelling at me”
Like clockwork, you would say “I’m just telling ya”
Then we would hop in the car and head down to Farmer’s home. I would have the ham and cheese omelet and you would have oatmeal, wheat toast, sausage patties, and a cup of decaf coffee. We would eat and then you would give me some money and we would sit down and play some machines. Only this time we both would win. You would teach me that it was okay at times to gamble….not with machines…but sometimes in life we need to take chances.
We would then get mom some lunch and drop it off. Take Boscoe for a walk around town. Oh, how we would walk that day. We would walk to the Vietnam Memorial and you would tell me all about how you struggled and how much it taught you to be brave.
We would then walk down to where you lived as a kid and tell me about all the times with Grandma and Grandpa and how you learned to be strong and that family is very important.
Then we would walk past city hall and you would tell me about all the hard work you put into the city and how much it taught you to be determined to reach great heights.
We would walk past St. Hyacinth’s and you would tell me about your time as an alter boy and how it taught you faith.
Then we would walk past the baseball diamond and boy how you would reminisce about your glory days and how that taught you teamwork and how practice makes perfect...
Next we would walk past the creek and we would cast a pole in the water and wait for the bite and you would tell me how to have patience. So peaceful and so warm with the sun beating down on us and Boscoe just sniffing away.
We would then walk to the greenhouse and peak in at mom, you would tell me the fun times you had with her and how she taught you how to love.
Then we would walk home and you would tell me how much goes into a home you would teach me about responsibility.
We then would grab a pop and an NA and head across the street. You would hold my hand and walk slowly with me all the way to the back. We would stand in the grass and look at your name on the grave. You would hug me and kiss me and tell me it was time for you to go that your job is done
“Jami Jo, I have walked around this town with you today. I know it wasn’t easy but it was this journey that I carried you all the way. I have shown you everything I have learned and it is time for you to fly now as I will be flying with the angels watching over you. You will be okay. Remember you are loved with all my heart. You have my soul with you always. Just always remember me. And when you are sad, go outside find a leaf and turn it over. Because I will be under it giving you the strength to carry on.”
I would hug you so hard, praying that we would not have to part. I would take a deep breath and watch you go as the light shines down and you with your perfect smile and bright blue eyes. That is where our day ends and my new day begins. It would be the happiest day of me life. That’s what I would do with one more day with you if I knew you had to leave.
As I sit here and type about my day with you I look back and see that everything that we did in that day is everything that you have taught me in the very short 28 ½ years I was with you. God blessed me, with the most amazing man that could ever be in my life. To God I am grateful, to you I am proud. All because I had you in my life.
