Decoration for dad

We put up this Christmas tree for the holidays right in front of dad’s stone in the mausoleum because his name plate is not ready yet. The tree is about 3 foot tall and we add all sorts of decorations. It is definitely a little too big for the area but hey, dad liked to go big and there was a lot more we wanted to of.

Mom got a call from the secretary from the cemetery letting her know that the rules and regulations for decorations. Now we all can guess what that means. “Hey, that tree is too damn big!” Mom let them know she would pick them up when she comes in to deliver the pictures for the headstone.

We were just over there two nights ago decorating for Valentine’s Day. We added a really nice flower decoration to the mix and took the holiday ornaments and Christmas decorations from the tree and spruced it up with a Valentine’s Day theme. We were joking around that the people at the cemetery are going to be even more upset saying things like “first they have the tree up and now do they not come back to take it down or put something up smaller, but they even made it bigger with the big shiny C on the top of the tree.” I am sure dad would have gotten a kick out of it too.

It is so hard to be there but it becomes all the more real knowing dad is just on the other side of the stone and I will never get to talk to him or share anymore experiences with him. He definitely prepared us for the day he would not be around, well I guess accept the emptiness of him not being around. It is not something that I could have never been prepared for.

I love you dad.

Shawn