Bittersweet

I haven't written about this yet, but being home after all this time is really bittersweet for me. You see, in July 2003 my mom and dad came to Germany to visit us for a couple of weeks. In August, almost exactly three weeks after they returned to the States, my dad passed away suddenly. I was always very close to both of my parents. There were certain things I did with my mom, and other things I did with my dad. It seems so unfair that we finally get an assignment here at home after my dad is gone. He would have loved to have had this time to spend with us and his grandbabies. But I'm sure my sister feels that it's unfair that her baby will never know our dad...and I agree.

Today would have been my mom and dad's 35th wedding anniversary. She called me tonight at about 9:30 and asked if we would be up for a while because she needed to stop by for a few minutes. I didnt' know what was up. When she got here, she handed me a package and a card. She gave me the wedding band my dad gave her for their anniversary one year. I can't remember which one. My baby sister got her wedding band...probably the original one he bought her when he was stationed in Thailand, but I didn't ask.

The anniversary of his death is only a few weeks away. I'm not sure how I'll deal with that.