Dear Dad,

Dear Dad,

Well, a year ago today you died.  Technically, it's tomorrow.  But it was a Saturday afternoon, so I think I'll always think of it then.  Mom and I were talking the other night about you, wondering what you were up to.  She wondered if you were teaching or learning something.  She got a little sad, I think, so I suggested that you were probably caught up in heavenly bureaucracy and  had been standing in line all this time waiting to get your paperwork processed.  She thought it was an appalling idea, but laughed anyway.  Mission accomplished.

Lots going on with us.  Travis is doing well, but I've gone back to school "just in case."  I'm working on my pre-req's for nursing, but there's a pretty good chance I won't even get in the program, so I'm thinking of back-up ideas.  Science and math aren't my strong points, as you well know.  Chris is trying to figure out what he wants to do when he finishes school.  We're trying to talk him into doing a Study Abroad in Berlin/Vienna next summer.  I think he'd love it.  Ellie graduated from high school and got into BYU!  She's just starting her first finals week.  She's majoring in Asian Studies, and next semester she'll take Chinese and Japanese.  Crazy, I know, but she says she can do it.  Hmm...  Nate is six feet tall now--getting close to you!  He's the only one with feet big enough to wear your shoes, and he wears your cowboy boots all the time.  He thinks you're very cool (which of course, you are!).  Maddie is in 6th grade now.  She won an art contest at school last month, and is doing the district gifted writing program again this year.  She got braces on in January, and she doesn't look little anymore.

I was a complete slacker this year in the yard.  I didn't pick a single currant.  Nate picked a bunch, but I didn't do anything with them and had to throw them out.  We had to get rid of our demon puppy after he kept on attacking Chris.  It was really sad, but Chris was here first, after all.  And he attacked lots of the kids' friends, too, so it was more than just poor Chris.  He was really hard on the yard, though, so we have some major work to do back there.  Travis got the bathroom done!!  We finally have two baths, and the new one has a granite counter.  I feel very spoiled, and now I want it everywhere.  The housing market stinks, and our house lost a lot of value.  Looks like we'll be staying put for awhile, but you always tell me to do that.  I don't know why you like this tiny house so much, but you have a good real estate track record, so I guess I'd better listen.

So much going on in the world.  Arab Spring, Occupy, GOP race for next year...  Every single day I think of something I just want to call and talk to you about.  I'd love to get your thoughts on it all.  I'm sure you have much more interesting things to think about, but still...

Well, I'd better get back to studying.  I miss you tons and love you lots.  Try to visit me sometime.

XOXOXO
Love,
Di