What a great weekend celebrating Leia’s birthday. Papa teased me that he was not going to come to her party Saturday since AL was in the SEC Championship game (yes, I am the crazy girl who scheduled a party during the game). In the end, he was there with an iPad in hand so he would not miss the Tide roll on over the bulldogs (one of his favorite things to do). He left a few minutes early to go back to sister’s house to watch the last part on her television. That evening mom and dad went on a date to watch “Westside Story” at the BJCC. Sunday morning, Papa and Mimi came over to celebrate Leia’s real birthday with us (something I am grateful Leia said she wanted to do). They arrived about 11 with Papa’s truck full; they had brought her Barbie Jeep along with a few other presents and a dog house for our new dog run area for Sierra. I was busy getting lunch and things done around the house to pay much attention (I regret not taking pictures and enjoying everyone’s company more). Papa told me he liked the broccoli salad at lunch that I wiped up the last minute. I sat on the couch and chatted a little bit with everyone (daddy was in our big chair) and volunteered Papa to help Chris move a recliner from our bedroom to living room (Papa ALWAYS was willing to help his girls out anyway he could). Not too long after moving the recliner, Leia and Ivy were having meltdowns so Papa and Mimi left to go home to get some things finished before work Monday but returned to get a bag for sister (I am grateful I got to give him a second hug). They ran by sister’s house to drop the bag off then to Nana’s on the way home to visit her a few minutes. Mom planted flowers at home while daddy blew off around the pool before mom cooked him one of his favorite meals – cube steak, english peas, biscuits, and gravy. They watched the normal Sunday night shows before heading to bed and snuggling about 11 pm. Mom awoke to a gasp shortly after midnight which changed  our lives forever …

Mom had to call me twice to get me since my cell was on silent. I knew when I heard the house phone ring at 12:33am it could not good. Hearing my mom’s voice on the other end I knew sister and I needed to get to her and daddy quickly. I stopped by sister’s house but could not unlock the door due to my hands shaking so ended up banging on her window in hopes I would not wake the girls at 12:45.  Sister and I meet the ambulance pulling in at UAB so she jumped out to go see what was going on while I found the closest place to leave my car. They were still at the registration desk when I got there. We were escorted to a family room to wait. From the time I had gotten the call, we prayed for a miracle. Mom said she felt a peace overcome her in her bedroom and knew that he had gone home to Heaven. Daddy suffered a massive heart attack and took his last breath in their bed. The time seemed to creep by the next few hours as we sat in shock accepting the new reality that we would no longer hear my sweet daddy’s voice or get one of his big old papa bear hugs. We saw his lifeless body on the stretcher in the ER but it still did not seem real to me; I was waiting for him to wake up or to wake up from a nightmare but neither happened. God tells us that no one knows the hour in which they will be taken or the hour He will come back to give the final judgment. God has each and every person’s days numbered here on this earth so we must live each moment to the fullest and not take the people God has blessed our life with for granted. (Daddy, I am sorry that I took you for granted! I am grateful you knew I loved you and I know you loved your girls more than anything in this world. I always thought you would be there and never imaged my life without you.)

Papa’s girls are blessed to have spent the weekend with him. We are blessed that the last time we saw him we hugged and said I love you. We are blessed he did not suffer and went to heaven the way he always said he would prefer when it was his time – peacefully in his sleep. We are blessed to have gotten family pictures 9 days before daddy went to Heaven (something we will surely treasure for the rest of our lives). We are blessed he loved us so much he and Mimi kept each grandchild in their office the first few months of their life. We are blessed that daddy got to know his grand-daughters and we got to see our dad’s passion for his work turn more toward his family. We are blessed that my parents were able to snuggle in bed hours before he took his last breath. We are blessed that God answers prayers and gives His peace that passes all understanding and comforts those who mourn. We are blessed that we can be reunited because of the blood of Jesus Christ. Sister and I are blessed that we had a example of a good marriage and taught us the importance of family. My mom continues to show us that even death, cannot change the love they shared as we walk through this valley. It is only by God’s mercy and grace that we are making it through this ….

Rest in peace daddy until we meet again, your legacy lives on in your family