Father's Day

So today is the day we honor fathers for everything they do for their kids - from spending time with them to disciplining them. I sat in church today and thought back to Father's Day last year. Mike went into the hospital the Friday before Father's Day 2010. Bri was so upset she couldn't see him she spent all of her money on a poster of an abstract guitar that I took to the hospital and Mike loved it. He told everyone how his daughter got it for him knowing he loved guitars and music.

I cried like a baby while sitting in church thinking back to that day and I just remember thinking Mason didn't even call his dad for Father's Day knowing his dad was in the hospital. I don't remember if I called my dad for Father's Day that year but I'd like to think I did.

In those six weeks Mike was in the hospital Bri saw him once. Kids under 18 were restricted from entering the hospital because of the H1N1 virus. We had to get special permission for her to go to the hospital to see him. It broke Mike's heart not to see his daughter. She was his baby girl and spoiled to boot.

Tomorrow Bri leaves on another mission trip. She heads to Joplin, MO to help clear the debris from the tornado that hit. She came home from voice lessons last week and told me about a virus that was in MO killing people. I googled it and found out that 5 people had died from mucor fungal infection. This meant nothing to Bri except she could die while in MO and she was a little worried.

This probably doesn't mean much to most people. It means the world to me - Mucor Fungal Infection is the fungus that Mike died from. Bri doesn't know this (she doesn't read the blog.) It freaked me out enough that I called the Department of Health in MO to check it out. I'm happy to report there's nothing major happening and Bri will be going on the trip.

Mike is looking down from heaven at his baby girl and smiling b/c she is such a selfless, loving, giving teenager. He left this world with the best parts of himself when we had Bri. She has his love of music and sense of humor and energy. This is a salute to her father!