Letter 6

Hey, Dad!
     How's heaven? I'm pretty sure you are having an awesome time! I'm not just saying 'awesome' in the way that we use it down here on earth. I am saying that you must be in awe of all of the things you get to see and do. I'm sure you have found out all of the mysteries that you were searching for down here. I wonder if you are able to talk to your 'Mama' like you've always wanted. I wonder if you even care about any of the things you were concerned about down here. Remember you said that you would ask God if he would let you sing? I hope you're singing! As a matter of fact, I'm sure you are!
     Man, I miss you. I listened to the voicemail you left for Camryn on her birthday. Man, I miss that. I will miss getting wacky (your words) phone calls from you and you would forget why you called. I will miss your 'knuckle sandwiches'! I will miss the smell of Old Spice coming from the bathroom. I will miss the beige sweater you always wore in the winter. I will miss the mints you would sneak me before I would start Sunday school. I will miss you telling me that I am the most beautiful woman in the room. I will miss your stern voice when you were serious. I will miss watching The Rifleman with you. Most of all, I will miss, well, you.
   Thank you for allowing me to take care of you while you were sick. I know I kinda complained about it, but I really loved it. You really loved how I cleaned your apartment. I actually loved doing that for you. I would love to catch you watching me while I was cleaning your kitchen. You looked so happy. Then, you would tell me stories until you fell asleep. It was so peaceful.
     You would have cried if you saw how many people came to help move your stuff out of your apartment. Most of the brothers from church came to help. In your words "It was beautiful!". They took care of moving all of the heavy furniture. They made it so easy for us. It only took 2 days to clean everything out. I found your journals. I see where I get this writing thing from. I really write like you. It didn't occur to me that we had this in common until now. That's great, though. It means everytime I write, I will continue to have a piece of you.
     Your memorial service was off the charts! Every person you have ever wanted to come to church came! We had such a great time! We ate all of your favorite foods. That was Camryn's idea. Her menu included sweet potato fries, oatmeal raisin cookies, and of course strawberry milkshakes. She wanted to add pancakes, but I thought that would've been a little much. We can always make pancakes at home. Smitty said some really nice words about you as a child. It made me want to know you then. Tony preached! If I got writing from you, he definitely got speaking from you. He sounded just like you. I, however, couldn't get past speaking about you without crying.
     Well, dad, I don't want to hold you up. I'm sure you are having an amazing time! By the way, thanks for helping me to find that letter you wrote me back in 2012. I thought I'd lost it. I 'mysteriously' found it when I was cleaning out an old purse. I know that wasn't random.
Love you! Talk to you later!
Tina