I was a mess. I tried getting ahold of Paul, but couldn't. I wasn't in any shape to try and drive anywhere, so I waited for him to get home. I got ahold Laurel first. She talked with me for a long time, during her workday, and helped me to calm down. She sent us cookies and popcorn and when Paul was able to get home we watched some musicals in the theater room, like my dad would have loved.
I flew out the next day. I've never been so thankful for masks in my life. I cried all the way through the airport and no one was aware. It was an exhausting day of travel.
At my dad's house, Jolie and I tried to comfort each other as best we could. We found little love notes our dad had kept and tried on his old glasses. We laid in his bed and breathed him in, and we cried a lot.
We laughed out loud at some of the notes we found. He kept track of every little detail of his life. Even down to the things he ate for each meal, and how it tasted.
The whole family came over the next day to help us work. He had been renovating his house with help of Nick and Hans, and we wanted to continue it and sell it, as he had planned to do.
Lots of things with my name on it, which I love. The very last thing he wrote in the house that we could find, was a note to me, about an eBay sale he bought. The sale price was 11.38 which is my lucky number and I see it all the time. It made me laugh that this was the last thing he wrote, and it was to me, and it was my lucky number.
We also found some old treasures, like this picture of Jolie and me. Ha haha.
He kept newspapers of important events too, which was so cool to see.
Paul and the kids, and even Swishy, FaceTimed with me a lot while they were at home, before they came out for the funeral.
We went out to eat a lot. We ate a lot of comfort food and I restarted my soda habit.
Paul and the kids came a day before the funeral. We went for walks down by the lake and stayed up chatting and reminiscing. My dad would have loved it. It was so good to have Paul there as a support. I couldn't think straight half of the time. It was rough.
Breakfast at George Webbs, and then clearing out the garage so we could move the yard sale items in there. Everyone helped, Paul especially, and it got done fast.
Lots of playing on the garage roof, as is tradition.
Lullaby beguiled Harrison and he decided to like her!
Lots of family time and chatting.
The funeral was wildly difficult to live through. It turned out really nice, and everyone had the loveliest things to say, but hard. Paul spoke, and so did Holly and Heather. Paul is such a good speaker, it was really nice to have him go up and share his thoughts. Here is the live stream of the funeral, I've watched bits and pieces again, but not the whole thing.
After the funeral, we met back up at dads house and walked to the beach to light these lanterns. Holly said a prayer, and it was sad but sweet.
That evening we all went to dinner. Lullaby and Hawken spent the night at Liesl's house, and Paul and I took Matix and Sully back to my dad's house with Jolie, James, and their kids.
Kevin invited us to see his bar. I'm not a drinker, so he made me virgin everything, but it was nice to get out with Paul for a bit.
We went to an arcade with Alex and Hunter (the two best claw machine winners of all time), and that was so fun too!
We had a birthday party for Liesl, and got to see Robin and John's new house. It's beautiful.
Then we lit off fireworks that we found at my dad's house.
I was especially glad we got to spend a little time out at my mom and Louie's house with them and with Grandma Evie. We held hands, even though she didn't remember who I was. She cuddled up with me and I told her I loved her. We even made silly faces for some pictures. My grandma is the sweetest. Paul, James and all the kids went out there one day too, and got to spend sometime there.
One of my dad's friends, and fellow toy collector, called us to express his deep sympathy. It was very sweet. Then we asked if there were any pieces of toys or soldiers that he wanted to buy before I list the rest on eBay. These were the ones he liked. Jolie and I were a good team and we helped him find what he wanted.
I still have my work cut out for me. There are 11 of these 15 gallon bins FULL of soldiers and other lead toys for me to sell, in addition to the ones I already have here in Utah. It's a little overwhelming.
We went to the bins and had fun just hunting and shopping. It was a welcomed distraction.
Good bye to some of my sweet sisters. It was bittersweet, having fun and feeling miserable at the same time.
The kids covered my door with love notes and hearts. It was so sweet. I really missed them!
I came with gifts from Grandma Kim and Grandpa Louie, thanks! It brightened their day.
In the mail, I got a package from my dad for St. Patrick's Day, and a picture of an ancestor from Ireland. It came while I was gone. He had mailed it sometime just before he died. It had Legos, and treats, and a nice note. I miss getting these from him.
There were so many nice emails, texts, and comments in various places about my dad. As a child, you look up to your parents, and think they are so great, but to see that other people loved him as much as I do, makes me so proud. So many old colleagues, teachers, and even students contacted us. His neighbors, cousins, friends, and even tenants contacted us. So sweet. Here are a few of the messages.
Here is the obituary. We wrote it together.
Some more lovely comments on the funeral feed:
And here are some of my favorite pictures of my dad. I'm so grateful that I had him for a dad, even though that got cut short.
