It is time...

I am ready to get back in to the normal swing of things. Most of you know that my dad passed away last Thursday. This is something that we have been expecting, but you can NEVER fully prepare yourself for. My dad passed away in American Samoa, with his wife at his side. My sister Teri was also there when it happened and she told me that she and my mom had a great night's sleep the night before. Something they haven't had been able to expereience for months now. They did their normal routine, mom went and dropped the kids off at school and Teri got up and got ready for the day. When mom got home, she checked on dad and told Teri that he didn't look good at all. A couple hours later, my dad took his last breath on this Earth.

My dad was always a jokester. Anyone who knows him can testify to that. It is very surreal that my dad isn't here, physically, any more. I guess it's because I wasn't there when it happened. But I was glad to find out that he looked so peaceful. My dad was in A LOT of pain these past several months. I am so glad that he does not have to be in that horrible pain any more. He will be sorely missed, but I also think about how happy he is to be with my brother, Riki, my mom, Grandpa Peters (my dad's dad) and many more of his family and friends who passed away before him. I know my dad will be looking down on me, just as my mom has been. I have felt both of their presence, since he has passed away and I think about them all the time...especially the memories. I would like to share one of them with you:

It was about a year before I got married, my dad and family came down to Utah for a visit. At the time, I was living in Chicago with Teri and Berta, but flew to Las Vegas and then drove up to Utah with Poli and his family, to see my dad. I don't know what my dad and I were doing that day, but for some reason he picked me up and it was just me and him. I remember telling him "Dad this is such a nice car!". It was a rental, something similar to a Towne Car, very classy and the radio system in their was all pretty and digital. Anyway, as we were driving I decided to change the radio station because my dad was listening to classical music *yawn!*. So I was pressing the "seek" button and when I'd get to the station I wanted, the "tuner" would keep on going and wouldn't stop at the station. I kept trying and trying, but to no avail. Finally, frustrated as ever I say "Dad, what's wrong with this radio!". He looks at me all serious and says "Oh sorry honey, this radio is actually voice activated." I say "What the heck does that mean?". He says, "It only works by speaking to it." The thing about my dad is, not only is he EXTREMELY convincing, but he has a LOVE for electronics and techy stuff, so I didn't think twice about my dad knowing how this thing works. SO if anyone would know about "voice activated" radios, it would be him. I shrug my shoulders and ask him "So what do I say?" and he says, "Just tell the radio what station you want to listen to." Feeling just a little silly, I whisper "94 point 9". And NOTHING happened. I look at my dad and he says "Well say it louder" and so I start shouting at the flippin' radio, "94 POINT 9!" and the radio is going BERZERK! Here I am screaming at the radio, thinking maybe I'm not screaming loud enough. FINALLY my dad couldn't hold it in any more. He starts laughing out loud, he was laughing so hard he started crying. I'm looking at him as if he's lost his mind (funny to think when I'm one yelling at a radio). He's finally able to say, "Oh honey, I've been controlling the radio from the steering wheel all along!". Then he starts cracking up again. I was sooooo mad!!! So mad that I believed him! Later that day we went to grandma and grandpa Jensen's house and I was downstairs and I could hear my dad telling EVERYONE this story of me "shouting at the radio". Everyone thought it was hilarious.

Looking back on that day, I am grateful for those laughs I was able to "share" with my dad. I'd give ANYTHING to hear that laugh just one more time. Even if it is at my expense.

I ♥ you daddy and thank you for being such a clown!

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