Totally unexpected, and a picture of what life would be like.

My dad is not the type of person to really dwell on things he can't change.  He's the type that deals with a problem until it's fixed or if it can't be, to just move on with his life.  For the most part I am too.

But not about Cora.

I understand that my dad loves me, and I love him too, but sometimes I have been a little hurt by his way of being helpful.  He's never meant it in a mean way, but I can't forget about Cora and that's what it feels like he is telling me to do.

Anyway, we spend Christmas with my family and it was so wonderful.  Nobody commented when I put out Cora's stocking, it seemed like the most natural thing in the world.

After all the presents were opened, my dad said "oh wait, here's another one."  ((my dad frequently has a "surprise" gift that he "forgets" about)).  He handed me a small box.  It looked like he had wrapped it himself (which is rare for him).  He said "I want you to open this, but it needs to stay here."

The tag said "for Cora."  Tears sprang to my eyes and my hands were shaking so that I could barely open it myself.

Inside was this:

I don't know if he truly understands how much it means to me that he did that.  I talked to my mom...he did it on his own, without prompting from her.  And it almost means more to me that he is keeping it with his other special trinkets, instead of giving it to me to bring home with me.  It's something he bought for him to see and remember her.  It helps to know that my family misses her too.

And then the next day I went to visit my best friend and her kids, so that I could meet her youngest and she could meet mine.  Her oldest, Katy, I have mentioned before.  She is 2 months younger than Cora would be.  She also has red curly hair.  It was kind of bittersweet to see her playing with my children and to see what my life should have been.