April Fool's and Easter

This year Easter and April Fool's Day fall on the same Sunday. My dad made both days good for my sister and I as children. For Easter, we would each get an Easter basket and they would dress up in a pretty dress and hat to wear to church. For April Fool's Day, my dad being the prankster that he was, would find ways to play jokes on us.

Yesterday one of our employees asked me if I do anything to my children for April Fool's. I told them of how my dad one year put shaving cream in our shoes and told my sister and I that we were going to have a race to see who could put their shoes on the fastest. We got toes full of his Barbasol shaving cream.

I followed in the tradition by pranking my own children and will probably do so again this year. We've moved them while they slept before. I've put things in their shoes and switched cereals from the boxes. I'll have to think of something good this year...in honor of my dad, of course. :)

While I miss him deeply still, it doesn't hurt as badly as it used to. I've had some breakdowns in my closet when no one watches, but they aren't nearly as often as they were before. I don't think I should feel bad for not being a wretched mess still. I don't think it means my love is less. But I do think it means I'm healing and I've accepted he's gone. I still think of him daily. I still wish I could ask him for advice. I still wish I could be swallowed up in his hug. Yes, I still miss him very deeply. But I'm surviving and growing and healing. I think he would be okay with that.

And thankfully, Easter is a good reminder that I will see him again one day. Because Christ rose from the dead, where I place my hope is a sure thing. Where my dad placed his hope is a sure thing. And I'm getting closer to seeing him every day that passes.