Thank You

Wednesday, 18 April 2007

We got to bed about 2:30 am (after I sent an email and pseudo sub plans to the school secretary), and although it was hard for me to sleep, I managed a few hours, with Dad's blanket and my Thai pillow he used to lay his head on, by my side. The phone has been ringing off the hook, and I got up early to call people, those friends who have just recently visited, and others who were planning on visiting but never got a chance. Got up at 7 am to eat something and noticed the rain outside. Took a picture of a beautiful rainbow over the valley. Minutes later, another one appeared over Kapi'olani Park. It continued raining all day today, like tears over the earth.

I frantically looked for a cassette tape I had. When I was two years old, my parents had my newborn baby brother Jason, and so they sent me off to California to spend the summer with my relatives. They had made me a cassette tape, my mom and dad each taking turns talking about me and Jason, talking about building the house, talking about their jobs, and even hearing me sing while proclaiming my stubbornness (which I get from my father) and hearing Jason cry and drink milk. I played some of it for my brother because I don't think he ever listened to it. Dad glowed about the then newborn baby, who looked more like his mother, while the eldest (me) looked more like her father. It was neat to hear Dad's voice, although a much younger Dad, and a not as gruff voice (must not have smoked much back then). I only have this tape now of Dad's voice. This, and the other tape I made a few months ago, of Dad reading my favorite children's book, "Where the Wild Things Are". I will always hold these in a special place and share them with our children.

My brother, Shelley, Chris, and I all slept in and got a late breakfast at Covenant House. The rest of the day will be spent calling people and receiving calls. We will meet Bernice and Dad's friend Garry Loo at the Nuuanu Mortuary this afternoon to discuss things and figure things out for Dad's service. I hear that this time can be chaotic and that there are a lot of little things to plan and think about. Kinda like planning a wedding, only it's not such a festive occassion. Dad would want this to be a celebration of his life though, and he's been telling me little things along the way, so we'll definitely make that happen.

Thank you for your many phone calls, thoughts and prayers, and words of support during this difficult time.