It wasn't even the fact that Avery is growing up and getting big before I'm ready. It was the fact that Danny wasn't there and Avery was the only fatherless kid in class.
Last Thanksgiving, the school had a program in which each child was to invite one parent. I'd arranged with Mrs Scudder to get Danny there realizing it was going to be his last Thanksgiving. The program was held in the very same room today. As I looked around, I reminisced about Danny and Avery's various interactions that day. There were a number of stations or centers that each child went to with their parent. Danny did his best to participate in all of them. Fine motor skills were a bit of a struggle but he joked about it and gave it his best effort. The one I remember most was a music center. They played music and each person walked in a circle doing various things with a bean bag as the song instructed. A perfectly healthy person would have trouble going in circles and following directions without stumbling. We're talking about a 6'3" man with impaired balance trying to participate with his son. I remember walking behind him holding my bean bag with outstretched arms waiting to catch him. He just chuckled and went along with Avery. The two of them had a great time that day.
I know Danny was there with us in spirit but I couldn't help but to feel super empty and sad for all of us that our Daddy wasn't there to participate in this milestone.
Still doesn't seem possible!
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