I didn't know where to write this so I thought GLP was as good a place as any.

I'm having a hard day dealing with emotions today brings back. I clearly remember my phone ringing early that morning and I knew what it meant before I even looked at the caller ID to see it was the hospital's number. My mom said through choking tears,

"I didn't want to have to call and tell you this, but your daddy passed away about 6 am."

I will never forget the sound of her voice or what she said. It will live in my head forever. I sort of went into shock and handed the phone to my husband to take the details, got packed and raced to her house, three hours away. I am an only child by the way, so I didn't have any siblings to lean on/lend a should to; also I was adopted as a tiny infant. My dad loved to recount the story of seeing me the first time and how I reached out and grabbed his finger and he knew I was theirs.

We are Christians, so I know he's in heaven and no longer in pain. He'd had an ostomy bag for several years and Crone's disease since his 20's. I didn't know this until after he passed, but in order to come see the grandkids, he'd bring along a BUCKET in the car pre-ostomy bag because he couldn't always make it to the restroom in time from the highway. Man, that's love right there. Geez, I can't even imagine.

Thanks for reading. I just needed to type this out. I miss him so much.