Celebration of Life for Dad and a Regift

Good morning yall!  Last week was a tough week. I cried everyday and my eyes stayed swollen until this past Monday.  Last Thursday was the day my dad passed away a year ago.  I worked from home so that i didnt have to put on makeup and see anyone.  I cried pretty hard at moments.  I have to share something special with you though.
I sometimes hide precious things that mean a lot to me. My fear is if my house is ever robbed, i dont want them to find everything in my main jewelry box. Does anyone else have irrational thoughts and behaviors like that? ( I was robbed back in high school so there's a story behind my thoughts. I'll save that for another post).  I thought I had lost an amethyst pendant along with my senior class ring from high school. Its been at least 2 years since i had thought i lost them.   While working in my home office ( it's messy) on Thursday , I came across an old wooden jewelry box and of all things to found was that pendant ( along with class ring) Daddy had bought that necklace and matching earrings for me when I was in high school or early college. It was my very first set of "real grown up stones". It was funny because he got my birthstone mixed up with my grandmas. Mimi's birthday is February 17 and mine is May 17.  I can still remember the look on his face as i was opening my gift. He had his big goofy smile and his eyes were twinkling. He was as excited to give me the gift as i was receiving it. Daddy said to me " its your birthstone right? and i replied No Daddy, its even better, its Purple"!  My birthstone is emerald but i think all girls love pink and purple when they're young.   I still have the earrings and i had lost the pendant a few years ago or so i thought.  I can't help but think that was a sign from Daddy for me to find something so special that came from him on the very day i was grieving for him on his death anniversary.   I had shared this story on Facebook that day and one of my friends mentioned that he Regifted it to me. It made me smile and i needed that!  Oh and  I'm wearing my necklace right now with the pendant.

Saturday was the day of dad's party that i was not looking forward to. Quite honestly, i just wanted to put it behind me.  Funny thing is that so many of my family members and friends felt the same way. I ended up having a really nice day. It was emotional yes but it was shared with loved ones. We released 66 balloons ( Mimi had a special larger white one) and we  all read a prayer that Deb had printed out on little cards.  Then we just relaxed and shared stories about Daddy.  There are soooo many stories! Dad was one of a kind and so funny.  My stepbrother got a huge fire going outside in the fire pit and had tons of food and drink. Some of my closest friends came which meant so much to me.  My grandma Mimi was very emotional when she first arrived. She couldnt stop crying and even said she shouldnt have come.  I hugged her and told her that its good to cry on each other's shoulders. She also had a good time and was glad she came after all.   Mimi lost her only sister (aunt Edith) last month a few days after Christmas. In fact her funeral is this weekend.  I was not very close to my great aunt but i'm going for support to Mimi.

I think i've mentioned before how much i hate January right!!

January can suck it! Its good to be back (kinda) .....

So today is February 12th and Daddy passed on January 12th. Its been a month but it feels as if it was only an hour ago. Still very raw and hard and impossible to swallow.  I am going through the motions of getting up, getting dressed , going to work, feeding the dogs, etc but i feel like i'm in a fog.  I can just tell you that February couldn't get here quick enough.  For some of you that have been around my blog longer than a year , yall know that my stepdad Don passed away last year on January 4.  Now i have my lost both my dad's in January. How crazy is that?!!  I mentioned in my last post that i also was diagnosed with pneumonia.  I think its gone but honestly i haven't been back to the Dr to check.  A week after Dad's funeral, on a Friday,Todd started complaining of some pain in his stomach area. That next Sunday morning he woke me up groaning and moaning loudly in bed. I shot out of bed and i took him to emergency room. He had a blocked gallbladder. Fast forward to the next Friday , he had surgery to remove the gallbladder.  So i was at a hospital pretty much the month of January it felt to me. 
The first week of February, i had to fly into Ohio to work the week at one of our centers there to do some training.  That week was kinda hard being alone every night in the hotel. I cried every night and couldn't stop thinking about Daddy. The weather was weird that week in Loveland. We had snow flurries for a whole day but none of it stuck. I was so happy to see my first snow of the year since Texas didn't get any.
Lots of changes at work and i didn't feel any stress with the merger happening until lately.  I cant really talk about it now but i hate to worry about work and that adds more stress.
Daddy was a musician and he played everything from rock to country.  Surprisingly , many songs on the radio right now trigger a memory and i have to change the station.  What I've been listening to lately is Christian music. I know that Dad didn't listen to those channels.  There a few songs that i have to skip through like I can Only Imagine by MercyMe. Oh no way will i listen to that right now!
I came across a band that i had never heard before by the name of Needtobreathe.  One day i used Shazam on a song and it was Brother. The next week i Shazamed another song and it was the same band but different song Multiplied.  Then i fell in love with song Something Beautiful. So i am really excited that i found this band and there are so many great songs by them.  Their sound reminds me of a rock band Kings of Leon.  What do you think?
So i wanted to share these with you. 

I have missed my blogging friends and i have missed blogging.  Ironically , almost 5 years ago i created this blog when Daddy first got sick with his lung disease. I did it as an outlet. I'm glad i did because your sweet comments and support have meant the world to me.  I am going to try to get back into regular routing again.  Much love and have a great weekend y'all!!