A Sad, not Sappy, Valentine’s Day Post

On Saturday night, we had another outing with the law school kids – to the Blues game, in one of those fancy boxes up on the fourth floor of the Scottrade Center. We couldn’t believe it until we walked in! There were a total of three boxes taken up by our dear group – 120 law students and their friends!

But the picture taken above was our view – pretty awesome, right?

Husband and I don’t really go to a lot of Blues games as the tickets are kind of expensive.

But my Dad and I used to go to games all the time. Hockey was one of his favorite sports, and the Blues were his team thru and thru. Number 16, Brett Hull, had his jersey hanging near our box. That was our favorite player when we went to games back in the day.

And that’s when I started crying.

I wish I could have picked up the phone and let Dad listen to the singing of the national anthem from our vantage point. It was amazing. He would have been ready for the puck drop, knowing all the players and their favorite moves. He would have been ready to explain to me what the power play meant or what icing was again.

They say that when you lose someone close to you, the sadness comes and goes. After a few months, I had settled into a routine of not having my dad around. I have gotten used to not being able to pick up the phone and talk to him. I knew that he was gone.

But on Friday night, all those feelings of overwhelming sadness came crashing back and the tears started. Simply because I was in a huge arena watching grown men skate around the ice after a little black thing. Does that make sense? I guess it does if you knew my dad. Because sports were such a huge part of his life.

I guess it also doesn’t help that Valentine’s Day is coming up. Husband and I don’t plan on doing anything big, because he has class, and honestly, it’s a Hallmark holiday. But I’m still hoping for some sweet kisses and a dinner together. I also know that this is Mom’s first one without my dad. So she’s going to get a little surprise – I wish I could tell you what it is, but she reads this blog! I have probably said too much. ;)

In addition to Valentine’s Day, tomorrow marks eight months since Dad passed. So it’s gonna be a tough day. But even with all of these things, I know that Dad is with us. He is with me as I deal with a tough issue at work or when I’m letting someone go in front of me at the grocery store – because he taught me to be a strong woman with a good heart. And that means I carry him whenever I go. No matter what happens.

So hug and kiss your loved ones, because you never know how many more of these days you have with them. Treasure every one of them.

Happy Valentine’s Day, all.