One night before Jack's surgery, my mom was putting Evie to bed. Evie is always going a mile a minute, even seconds before her head hits her pillow, so she was chatting my moms ear off as they rocked. Evie started talking about Papa (my father). This is nothing out of the ordinary, she talks about him all the time despite the fact that he has been gone for over a year now. My mom asked Evie if Papa was there with them and wanted to know if he had anything to say. Evie said "Papa said Evie's a good girl". My mom agreed and asked if Papa wanted to say anything to Grandma. Evie replied, "Papa loves Grandma". Talk about true love.. Even in death, my father finds a way to be there to comfort my mother at such a stressful time. I get goosebumps every time I think of this exchange and I am so happy she got to feel his presence at such a critical and sensitive time.
During our pre op appointments on Wednesday, we found ourselves hanging in a waiting room between meetings with surgeons and doctors and what not. Jeremy was fiddling with his phone and all of a sudden let out this gasp. I looked at his face-- his expression was a mix of shock and disbelief. I asked him what was wrong and he said that he had just been going through his text messages and his phone just started calling my dad's cell phone.
Chills? Yep. All over. He wanted us to know he was there with us at that very moment.. amidst the uncertainty and fear. He was there.
I know my dad would've been by our sides.. doing everything and anything he could've to support us. To guide us. To love us and to be there for his grandson. So many moments I find myself thinking "What would Daddy do?" or "Big Rich would've had something funny to say right about now." and most often "I wish my dad was here." I miss him. But I know he was here with us and that he has been since the beginning. So thanks Dad... for, like always, going above and beyond the call of fatherly duty.
xo Rissa
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