Phone calls from my Dad---Christmas Caroling

A couple of weeks ago I turned the big 3-9.  39 years old, wow!  When my mom called to wish me a Happy Birthday, she told me that life begins at 40.  So, I guess I have something to look forward to next year.  My mom is always happy to turn another year older.  Her older sister Shanna was killed in a airplane accident, along with her husband, when they were in their early 30's.  The had 3 beautiful girls that they left behind.  Since then, my mom thinks that every birthday is just a blessing.  I guess it is a good way to look at it.  My sister Heather just recently found a homemade card at my parents house that I had made for my dad when he turned 38.  It was fun to see the card and what I had written to him.  I must have been around 7 or 8 years old.

The evening of my birthday, I received many phone calls from my brothers and sisters.  While I was talking on my home phone, my cell phone was ringing.  I happened to miss a call from my brother Kevin.  When I went to see who called, the cell phone was showing that I had 2 new messages.  The first message was from my dad.  For some strange reason an old message on my phone had come through as a new message.  The call took place when my dad was in the hospital.  He said many things, and that he was wondering what was happening at home.  The next message was the new message from Kevin.  I had to call my mom and tell her that dad had called me from heaven to wish me a Happy Birthday.  I cannot figure out how that old message got put in with the new message, but it was a nice surprise.
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Last night we had our annual Christmas caroling hay ride. We have been doing this for many many years.  My dad has almost always been the driver of the hay ride.  Last year he insisted on driving, even though it was a very cold night and he wasn't feeling all that well.  I thought a lot about him last night. 

It was a good night to do carol because it was warm and the roads were dry. We met at my sister Lynette's house. We had a good time visiting and eating dessert before we headed out to carol.  The kids were full of energy and we all had a great time.

After caroling we came home and went to bed.  During the night I had a dream about my dad.  I dreamt that I was standing in the kitchen and the phone rang.  It was my dad on the phone calling me from heaven.  As dreams are--half the time you can't remember all the details when you wake up.  But, I do remember that he sounded very happy.  In the dream he said to me 2 different times how wonderful the funeral was.  He also said to me 3 different times in the dream, how he couldn't believe how great his legs felt.  I called my mom this morning to tell her about my dream.  She teased me that it wasn't fair that he called me and not her.  I told her that he would probably be calling to talk to her soon.