"I'll see you in September...."

Tomorrow marks the three month anniversary of my dad's death. On one hand it doesn't seem like three months has passed and on the other it feels like I haven't seen or talked to him in ages. This three month anniversary is taking a greater toll on me than the previous two months.  This is the month that he planned to visit the boys and myself.  I remember him saying, "September.  I'm coming back in September.  The boys will be three months old by then and we can celebrate your birthday.  Yeah, that's what I'll do..."  When he kissed me goodbye, I never could've imagined that that September day would never come....for me, Nathan, or Asher and Nolan. 

My dad...He's smiling :D 

Last year my husband arranged a wonderful surprise birthday party for me, inviting all of the precious people in my life, including my mom, step-dad, my dad and several wonderful friends.  This was the first birthday that I had spent with my dad in ages, probably since I was a very young child of about seven years old or so.  This memory will forever stay with me.  It was so special.  The funny thing is the night before the surprise party, I had a dream that I had a surprise party and I turned around and my dad was there.  All day I kept thinking that that would be such an amazing present...a surprise party AND my dad...to bad it's just a dream.  Then, the next day, my dreams became reality.  I arrived at Hiro's and saw all of my friends and then several moments later I turned around and THERE WAS MY DADDY!  My mom captured this moment on camera, but we cannot find the picture.  I long very much for this picture because it captured the look on my face that clearly stated how much I love my daddy. 

In the past year I saw my dad more times in one year than I had in four or five years combined.  It was a great year.He surprised me on my birthday in September.  I surprised him on Father's Day.  (One of few Father's Days we have ever spent together.) 

Then we were able to spend July 4th together with his family.

Nathan and I saw him again during New Year's.

Then he was here for the most amazing week of our lives to celebrate the birth of Asher and Nolan.  It really does sadden me that my dad won't be able to be around for my boys.  He was such an amazing dad and he was already so good at the Grandpa thing!  He really had it down! 

Grandpa Frank with "Little Frank"  (AKA Asher)

 Posting this blog, I have just learned something important. 

"Don't always be the invisible one behind the camera"

My dad was so busy taking pictures of all of us during Asher and Nolan's arrival, that we failed to capture him in many pictures.  He was there for so much their first week, yet he was the one behind the camera.  It's just not the same to say to my boys, "Your Grandpa Frank took this picture."  So to all of you moms, dads, grandpas, grandmas, aunts, uncles and friends....

If you're there to take the picture, get in it!

What a fantastic year! I try to remind myself of all of these special times that my dad shared with us. I think of him everyday and strive to keep all of his memories alive with us.