It has been two full days since Dad stepped off this earth and in to heaven. We have been very blessed with all of the phone calls, visits, food, and condolences. It has been a real blessing to be together with family and friends, to celebrate the life that my Dad lived and the impact that he made. The hardest time for me is in the early hours of the morning. I find myself awake while everyone else sleeps (that is not uncommon). While awake and alone in the quiet hours, my mind begins to kick in high gear. I was thinking about Dad and what he battled over the past 3 years. He was a fighter and he fought hard until the moment that he slipped into eternity. He had a "suitable helper" right by his side every moment of the battle.