Brooke’s grandparents and Debbie came to our home for a visit yesterday afternoon.
Her grandparents are in town looking for “clues” to her daddy’s suicide and taking more of his worldly possessions back to Indiana.
It was a pleasant visit.
There was definitely an elephant in the room with the Lambert’s telling stories of Keith’s sisters when they were little with no mention of Keith.
No tears this visit. A welcomed milestone. Everyone stayed on neutral subjects.
To be totally honest, I am so aggravated at the whole situation. The Lambert’s have made a couple trips now to town to gather Keith’s worldly possessions to hoard at their home.
Brooke has yet to be given anything of her dad’s by his family.
Brooke has her things from her daddy’s house, but nothing of Keith’s, other than his red ring that Roann gave to her. The one item she truly wanted.
I am Brooke’s advocate.
I am the one she will ask when she is older, what did she get that was her dads?
While these visits go smoothly, it is a painful reminder for everyone.
I am still really salty with the Lambert’s this morning as I am driving into work. What timeframe is fair? How much do I push and advocate on behalf of Brooke? They are old and she was his daughter. Brooke was Keith’s only family in Ohio. Brooke was the one he saw every other weekend. She lost her daddy at 11 years old.
On the radio a song begins to play. A warm and familiar tune, before the words are even sung, memories take me from driving up 77 North to back in time to the dance floor at The Bomber … dancing, loving life and in love …
Looks like we made it
Look how far we've come my baby
We mighta took the long way
We knew we'd get there someday
They said, "I bet they'll never make it"
But just look at us holding on
We're still together still going strong
(You're still the one)
You're still the one I run to
The one that I belong to
You're still the one I want for life
(You're still the one)
You're still the one that I love
The only one I dream of
You're still the one I kiss good night
Look how far we've come my baby
We mighta took the long way
We knew we'd get there someday
They said, "I bet they'll never make it"
But just look at us holding on
We're still together still going strong
(You're still the one)
You're still the one I run to
The one that I belong to
You're still the one I want for life
(You're still the one)
You're still the one that I love
The only one I dream of
You're still the one I kiss good night
A song I haven’t heard in years fills my car and fresh tears release me of anger and resentment. I feel Keith’s presence as if he is talking to me and asking me to please forgive out of love.
Several times since his death I have felt Keith’s presence strongly.
My dad called me one night from Florida and said he felt Keith’s presence strongly twice when Brooke was in Florida with them for Spring Break.
Some things in life do not have logical explanations, but you believe in them because they simply happen.
