My my my how time flies. Time stops for no one and it has flown by faster than ever.
Mom told me she didn't realize that Ric wasn't coming back until she received the ashes and the engraved urn. For me, things have been busy and I didn't really have time to think about the fact that Dad won't be coming back. It didn't hit me until the Easter break. I would call Dad when I wanted to cook something new or if I had forgotten how to cook it. On Easter Sunday, my cousin/roommate, Steven, and I held an Easter dinner. Steven's brother and their parents came up, as well as my Mom and one of my close friends. We had invited my entire fraternity but none showed. Steven cooked ham and turkey, and everyone who came brought a side dish or dessert. I cooked a pineapple upside cake. I used my Dad's recipe of course. I had only made it once before and I couldn't remember the amount of butter to use. So, I looked up a few recipes and each one used a different amount of butter! But I figured it out.
Mom also brought the dog, Benny, up to my apartment. Dad was the one who took care of the dog and cat when I moved to Cookeville. I thought it would help Mom out a little bit if I took care of the dog for a while. As for the Lucy the cat, all you have to do is feed her and she's happy. Mom said the cat took off when she brought Benny up here; she hasn't seen the cat since. In my apartment complex, there is a pet fee.. I told the owner's the situation and thankfully they charged me less than half of the fee. I will write them a thank you letter when I move out. The dog has been behaving very well and the young ladies I know come over just to see him, haha!
Last week my Mom told me that there was this smell in the garage. Her friend, Jennifer, suspected that something died in the garage. They searched for the source of the smell and it turns out that it was Lucy the cat. She had crawled up behind the wheel barrel and died. She was ill last time I saw her, which was the week my Dad passed. Lucy was 12 years old. The average age for a cat is about 14 years. However, it varies between outdoor and indoor cats.
On April 12, I took the Engineering Fundamentals Exam. It is my first step to becoming a professional licensed engineer. If I pass, I will officially be called an engineering intern. The exam was eight hours in length. The morning portion was four hours and covered general education and engineering courses. The afternoon portion was discipline specific; I took the Mechanical Engineering portion. It was easier than the practice FE exams. Although, I think they make the practice ones more difficult on purpose to better prepare people who take the FE. At least they provided us a free lunch but sitting on those metal chairs for eight hours made me want to finish early...
I hope everyone completed their taxes. April 15th is upon us. A few months ago , my dad told me that this was his last year doing taxes. However, he would still do taxes for people with internet and a fax machine. Looks like he was right on being his last year doing taxes. Although, I wished it didn't end the way it did. But such is life. Mom, Steven (my cousin), and I cleaned out Dad's office the week after the memorial service. It felt kinda empty without Dad being there. I kept his calendar where he would mark off each day; February 28th was the last day he marked off. Mom called Dad's clients who had paperwork to be returned and made arrangements to do so. A few months ago, my Dad mentioned that he was training someone to take over his business. However, I do not know who this person was.
I want you to know that I am coping well. Mostly because I got to be with Dad in his last day, to be with him when he passed, and because he was ready to go and not afraid of death. I know God's timing is perfect and it was time for my Dad to return home. I know there was a reason for Dad to leave this realm, but I'll never know why. Yet there are hidden blessings in everything, you just have to find it.
There are two more weeks of classes, then final exam week, and then Commencement is May 3rd. I hope I pass all my classes, haha.
Until next time.
