So Many Things To Share---Good and Bad

I am so sorry that I haven't posted in almost a month, but so much has been going on.   I'm not sure where to start, so I'll start with the most important and go  from there.  This is a long post, so I hope you'll bear with me and read to the end. 

The most tragic thing to happen was that my dad passed away quite suddenly on April 17th.  It's a day I will never forget.  I got a call at 9:37 a.m. from my sister who could barely get the words out.  At first, I didn't know who was calling me.  I nearly hung up thinking it was a crank phone call.  My sister was so upset that she didn't even talk for almost 15 seconds and when she did the first words she said was "Dad just died".  I was totally stunned and shocked and then I cried.  And cried.  And cried.  It was the most heart-wrenching phone call I have ever received. 

Dad had been passing out almost daily in the last month and had already been diagnosed since last October with pulmonary fibrosis.  We thought he still had at least a year or more left, according to some doctors.  Two weeks previously, Dad was told to use a wheelchair or electric scooter to get around the house and yard as just walking a few steps would cause him to fall and pass out.  That morning, April 17th, Dad got out of bed and collapsed, never to wake again.   I called my daughter and along with my youngest daughter we headed to Mass. where my parents live to help out my mother and to see my dad one last time before his body was to be picked up.  It was so surreal to me.  I walked through the doors and expected to see Dad sitting by the tv, but he wasn't there.  Mom was doing well until the men from the funeral home had to take his body out.  She just broke down and sobbed over and over "This is the last time he'll be in the house".  I just lost it right then and there. 

The next few days were tough, but as I made 8 memory boards --yes EIGHT---showing his life from boyhood to his last days and,  I found myself smiling, sometimes laughing and remembering some great times.  It was therapy for me as well.   

Dad was buried on April 21st--another day that will forever be etched in my memory.  Why?  Not because of the obvious, but because it was my birthday.   My brothers and sisters said happy birthday and wanted to do something, but I told them that it was Dad's day and not mine.  Later that evening, once I was home, my husband had gone out and bought me a 3 1/2 pound lobster!  I had never seen one so big.  And it was delicious!  I hadn't eaten in 2 days and at that point, I was hungry.  

And something else that really brought a smile was a Memorial Tree.  My daughter's friend bought us a cherry tree to plant in memory of my father.  She originally wanted to get us a magnolia tree as that was what was given to her when her baby daughter had passed way last year.  She kept telling me that it wouldn't offend her if I returned it for something else, but I told her that I was going to keep the cherry tree because it was perfect.  You see, my father had a cherry tree in the corner of the yard and he loved it, so it was meant to be.  I wonder if Dad whispered the idea in her ear?   We planted the tree about a week after he was buried.   I can't wait until next spring to see it's first blossoms.

 It's been 3 weeks now and I'm doing better.   Dad is resting in peace and isn't suffering anymore.  I will miss him....always.

On another note, I've been swamped with swaps that needed to be out by the 28th.  One of them was the Altered Cigar Box swap over at Mini Album Scraps.  This is what I sent to Alina:

She wanted a Steampunk theme and this is what I came up with.  I made a video for YouTube which can be seen here:
http://youtu.be/uaVCSpoJ5yU

We also had to make a handmade item and fill the box with at least $20 worth of goodies.  Here are the goodies I sent:

And here is the handmade item:   An explosion box using Tim Holtz Lost and Found papers---

And here are more pictures of the outside:

And this is what I received from Alina:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=TjTmIztiW38

She totally spoiled me rotten!  I just LOVE all my goodies!

And, on April 27th and 28th, my daughter, Jackie, and I attended the Creating Keepsakes Convention (CKC) in Manchester, NH.  We went down on a Thursday and came home on Sunday.  Of course, we spent lots of money and had alot of fun. 

The pool was supposed to be heated but it was cold!

Proof that we were first in line for the vendor fair.  We got up at 6 a.m. and
arrived at the hotel to be in line for 7:15.  The doors to the vendor didn't open until 9.


A demo at the Kiwi Lane Designs booth.  They're fairly new but their simple
designs create some fantastic pages!

Jackie won one of the door prizes at the Button Farm class!  She was so excited because she almost bought this same mini kit at the booth.

Angela (in the middle)--owner of The Button Farm in my home state of Maine. 
 I just  LOVE her classes and minis. 

Attending one of the Quick Quotes classes---this one was "Gimme Dat Bling"

 Jackie and me doing a make n take at the Quick Quotes booth

Just a FEW of the bags that hold all the goodies I bought at CKC!

 Here's Jackie with a few of her bags of goodies.

Well, that's it.  That's all I have to share.  It's been a busy April--with good and bad, but my faith is keeping me strong.  I hope you'll stop by again as I'll have more things to share again--probably next week.

Wishing all of you a wonderful weekend.