Ok....I'm still figuring out how to label these pictures directly above...but havn't figured that out yet. So I will describe the pictures here. #1 Is Dad and Beckie (step mom) on Christmas eve (dad's last Christmas). #2 Is me and Dad...last Christmas together. #3 is just good ol pops. #4 is all the grand/ and great grand kids # 5 Is Dad roasting my mom (MaryEllen) at her 70th birthday party. #6 is me and my sis Renee at the funeral. # 7 is me and my sis Terry at the funeral. # 8 is a great photo of my mom who gave birth to their 7 kids together. #9 & 10 are pictures and memorabilia I put together for a tribute to my Dad's 73 years. #11 is Beckie, my bother Kevin, and his wife Chris at the burial site. # 12/13 & 14 are pictures of the tiny casket my Dad's remains were in. He was cremated...and it was so strange for me to see him in such a tiny replica of a casket. But those were his wishes. # 15 was all of us at the burial site. It was a lovely burial service. Sorry to all my other brothers and sisters that I didn't have pictures of you to post...LOVE YOU ALL!So yeah, it's been 2 years...and since I've never blogged before, I wanted to do a tribute to my dad! He died from compications of Lung cancer. He smoked for 50 something years and it took it's tole. So sad to see him go like that. I prayed for my dad for 16 years to recieve Jesus in his heart...and 6 months before he died he made that decision right in my living room...HOW COOL IS THAT! Dad got neumonia in January 2007 and he lived for 1 more week after that. Mostly he was unconscious. I spent a lot of time with him in the hospital that week...along with all my family members. He was a crochity old guy (and I do say that respectfully and ..actually...comically...cuz my dad could be real funny...he was one STAND OUT character!) He was, and still is dearly loved.
My dad was married to my mom (MaryEllen ..love you mom!) for 35 years...and 7 children later. They divorced when I grew up and he remarried Beckie (love you Beckie). My dad did know how to pick amazing women! My Mom and Beckie became friends...and are still friends. We celebrated the Holidays and all kinds of other events together...YES...MOM AND BECKIE AND DAD...TOGETHER. For a divorced family, you couldn't ask for a better situation:) So at the funeral, mom and Beckie stood up at the front together and shared their sentiments of my Dad...then my mom said..(pointing to Beckie) "I gave him to her...chuckle chuckle" .....OH MY....thank goodness everybody laughed! It was a most wonderful memorial service. A video was made and the 7 of us kids all shared stories about him. It was a celebration of our Dad gone to be with Jesus.
Oh...I prayed that I would be able to be there with him WHILE he was passing from this life to the next. It was so important to me to hold his hand while he was passing. Well, God far surpassed my prayers. My WHOLE family was there. His kidney's failed and we all gathered together in a circle. Neil (my hubby) prayed and we were all there comforting one another. We took my dad off the blood pressure medicine. I stood by rubbing his legs and I looked at the heart machine...then it said ----------- no heartbeat. We all cried...but I looked up and waved and said..."Bye for now Dad....give Jesus a hug from me".
It was such a special time seeing my Dad pass peacefully. I had so much peace, joy, and pain...yes pain. It hurts to say goodbye and it hurts to see someone suffer. But I realized at that moment "how precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints". I see death so differently since I experienced this. It'll never be easy or painless...but it really is a celebration to go home with Jesus. It is another chapter of our life...the best one! I don't really want to go any time soon...but I know it'll be special when I do!!! SO HERE'S TO YOU DAD! ...SEE YOU WHEN I GET THERE!
Ah, that's so sweet. I'm glad you shared that about your dad! Like the songs you picked too :)
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