The Final Post

I think I've attempted this final post about thirty times.  As I'm sure you can understand, closing down the blog means the end of a very large part of our lives over the past 18 months.  It still doesn't seem real that Dad is gone.  It was made more real on Thanksgiving when there wasn't the need for family to sit up at the island as there wasn't enough room at the big table, because there was.

Christmas and birthdays are now coming up - yet another opportunity for us to realize that a critical member of our family is no longer with us.  Dad loved Christmas, and was the biggest kid when it came to wanting to open up presents early, and to go overboard with the grandkids.

We are all doing our best to move forward.  The paperwork and process alone is exhausting.  Learning just how much is out there that needs to be changed over to just Mom's name, or figuring out if all of the planning that went into the final days was enough, and the cards and letters that continue to flow in. . .

The first snowstorm of the season hit Omaha last weekend, and no fewer than four of the neighbors in Elkhorn called Mom to make sure she didn't need anything.  They scooped the driveway, brought up the paper and the mail, and just checked in regularly.  A heartfelt thank you for that.

To go back to early November, the service at Ft. McPherson was very nice.  While we had fewer family members there than anticipated (due to the storm pushing out the service several days), it was a beautiful day.  Dad's final resting spot is just four down from his very good friend Rich Rea.  I feel Dad would be smiling at that news.

For those unable to make the service, I put together a slideshow of the way we want to remember Dad:

http://gallery.mac.com/marydillon#100425

Thanks for following us through this journey.  Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and be sure to stay in touch.

Love,

Mary and the Dillon Family