Dad Is That You?

On this Father`s Day I cannot help but think of my father, Paul Swinehart. He was a wonderful father and I am just finding out he was even a better husband. He was married to our Mom, Laberta, for over 60 years, and now that my siblings are taking great care of my Mom (she just turned 89) I think we all have a greater appreciation of my Dad. Not that my Mom is difficult, but let`s just say she is a little needy. I am sure Dad had his little personality flaws, but after he passed 4 years ago he has automatically been identified as the Greatest Father, Husband and Human Being Ever! And that is just how it should be.

Because I am living in temporary housing due to a move, I do not have any pictures or files with me, so here is the only picture I could find of the Greatest Father, Husband and Human Being Ever!

This picture had to be from the 60s.  He looks so young.

May 8th was the 4th anniversary of our Dad`s passing. It was a very strange day for me because I had not even thought about the anniversary date up until that morning. I woke up on May 8th and thought of my Dad the minute my eyes opened, still not realizing it was the anniversary. I was thinking about him and wondering if he checks on us, and if when I think of him it is at the exact same time his spirit is with me.

Now granted, I did watch Long Island Medium the night before, and that could have been the reason I woke up thinking of him that morning. Then I realized it was the anniversary of his passing and now I am wondering if he did come that morning to check on me. Crazy?

Now it gets stranger. I text my sisters the above paragraph, and I got a text back from my sister Margie saying she thinks Dad leaves her pennies. So, whenever she finds or sees a penny it is Dads way of checking on her. As I was reading her text I hear my computer printer running. It was a sunny day, no power outage and my computer just reboots. I sent my husband a text saying "not funny" because I thought he was printing remotely and it scared the living daylight out of me. He did not understand the text because it was not him, besides he could not print remotely, duh! My Dad loved the computer. He was born before his time, because he would have loved the computer age we live in now. Could it have been Dad letting me know he was checking on me?

Jump a head a few weeks. I am in my house in Virginia, folding laundry in my bedroom, watching a Hallmark movie. Yes, I have that kind of time. In the movie there was an elderly man that was sick and dying. He was frightened and crying. He reminded me of my Dad in age and overall look, and it got me thinking about my Dad`s passing. I was wondering if he knew what was going on in the hospital, and if he was frightened just before he passed.  I was sobbing and walked in the closet to hang up some laundry when I looked down and there was a penny.  I never have change in the house, I am an ATM card girl, and under my clothes on the closet floor was sitting this shinny penny. OMG, Dad is that you?

Had to be 2010 Penny

Now jump to yesterday. My siblings are moving my Mom out of her assisted living apartment into a nursing home. It is a very stressful time for everyone, but she is where she needs to be, and we are all at peace with that. Not sure Mom will ever be at peace where she is, because she can never remember where she is. I digress. Yesterday I get a text from my sister Debbie, she texts, "Hey I went to Mom`s apartment to clear out the last of it. It was empty and I got a little melancholy. Nothing in there and I look down on the floor in the bedroom where Mom`s bed was.... and there was a penny... just saying!!

I hope that is Dad`s way of telling us that he is watching us and approves of our care of Mom

Happy Father`s Day Pop. I love you and miss you every day.  Keep leaving the pennies!