Getting back to normal...

As I start this post, I want to first THANK everyone for stopping by and leaving a comment, sending emails, sympathy cards, and just being there for me. THANK YOU! Today will be two weeks since we lost him, and Valentines Day will never be the same.

It finally hit me Saturday night that Dad was gone. I was still in shock, and then around 2am Sunday morning, I just came to realization that he was gone. I woke up Brian just crying, and we sat up for awhile after and just talked. Then Sunday night I was kinda putting off going to bed, as I didn't want to lay there and think about Dad. But I started to think about Dad being gone, and what I was missing, and all of a sudden in my thoughts I had the message - "I'm with God" That brought me so much comfort and I fell right to sleep.

We came home last Wednesday - we buried Dad that afternoon. We had to wait for him to have his autopsy on Tuesday, and then we could do the burial. Even at the grave side, we still had several people join us to see Dad off.

The funeral - Oh wow, was it AMAZING! It was one of those where you cried and laughed. It was so great to have every member of the Clayton/Winchester Fire Dept and First Responders there, as they were Dad's second family. From the bagpiper taking Dad out of the church, playing Amazing Grace, to the Honor Guard that stood, to the fire trucks, to the HUGE American flag hung from the two ladder trucks, to the people that attended the funeral (they estimate there were close to 5,000 people between both days), the food, the memories shared, and to the American flag draped over Dad's casket. I'm so glad to have been apart of the funeral of my dad - I'm sure that he would have had a blast at his own funeral - cause you sure heard all the comments about Dad. He was well loved!

A family friend set up a memorial site for Dad on Facebook - you can check it out - Rememberance of Chief Dean Mathison CWFD You can see pictures from the day - Pictures There are 146 pictures at this point.

Oh course, shaking everyones hand it was bound to happen - early Thursday morning I came down with the flu. I actually called into to work, and of course (I heard from a coworker) my boss didn't believe I was sick, but just tired from being gone so long. So she made me come in to work, as she couldnt get anyone else to cover my area I work in. Well - I went into work at 1pm, to be sent home at 3pm by the nurse. Friday - I went into work, to be sent home after an hour and half, and then again on Saturday - I was sent home again - after 2 1/2 hrs. Saturday night I was starting to feel better, and I was able to work the next 2 days.

So I'm finally enjoying a nice day off. Did alittle cleaning up around the house, catching up on emails, and I have about 2 week of laundry to catch up on.

I haven't stitched since the night Dad died.. so I think later today I'm going to put in my first stitch.