I'm often curious what it would be like to have him still with us- healthy and whole.
I know he'd enrich our lives even more than they already are.
He'd be counting the time until each and every sporting event,
marveling over and over at each kid's unique characteristics
the grey in my hair,
the number of grandchildren,
how busy we all are.
Even though he's not with us, he has still taught my children such a valuable lesson.
That there is a heaven.
That he's watching over us.
That he held the babies he didn't get to meet on earth, while they were still with him in heaven.
That we need to be sure to live a good life so that we can join him one day.
To celebrate dad's birthday we went to Priest Point Park where some of his ashes have been spread.
Melissa started the tradition and I'll admit I haven't been good about participating.
She's been ever faithful about it.
I've been sporadic.
As I drove to the park I was flipping through the radio stations and stopped on one that played song after song that I remember him listening to. Cat Stevens (until he realized that Cat was supporting the PLO) and Elton John.
It was a beautiful, sunny spring day
with blue sky,
the mountains still covered in snow bright on the horizon,
cherry trees in bloom.
Melissa picked up his coffee (quad Americano made adding coffee instead of water) from the Filling Station.
That was his morning routine.
Every morning they were open he'd drive himself there in this Isuzu Rodeo packed to the gills with his latest (or just buried) treasure, sprinkled with mail and change.
He'd hand over his gigantic white (at least on the outside) Starbucks mug for the girls to fill for him- just the way he liked-
bursting with the maximum caffeine possible.
They don't have drip coffee any longer (I'm sure they would if he were still around-just for him).
We took the kids and went down on the beach to anoint it with his special drink.
It was low tide just as it was the day we spread his ashes (quickly so the other visitors to the beach didn't realize what we were doing...)
Each of us took turns pouring out some for him.
I have no doubt dad laughed hard watching this happen.
Why oh why would that be the way she poured it?!
Then the kids played in the "cave" created by the root system of a fallen madrona tree. Probably not the safest place to play- it didn't last too long.
and think about you.
And I know you were with us that day (as always).
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