My Dad's Coming to Visit

You know, life can take you down some interesting paths.

The relationship I have with my dad is one of those. A few years ago I never thought there would be a day when he was planning a trip to my house on his own and I would be excited about it.

Let's hop in our DeLorean and take a trip back in time.

You know how parents say they love their children equally and would never choose one over another? Well, if we're being honest, this is rarely true. I knew that I was my mom's favorite until my little brother, Jorge, was born in 1984. (BTW, I'm okay with this. LOL.) I also knew that my brother was my dad's favorite. I grew up not feeling like I made my dad proud. I also grew up fat. IYKYK

That fact ensured I would spend the rest of my life insecure. And that I would carry a huge chip on my shoulders. It took me a lot of time in therapy before I finally accepted that I was the only one who is responsible for making me happy. Eventually I "forgave" my dad for the mistakes he made raising me, whether they were all in my head or not. Our parents are not perfect. They're human.

Since then I've been so much happier in general.

So fast forward to November of 2025. I planned to stay at my dad's house for a couple of weeks to take care of my stepmom. She had a stroke 9 (?) years ago and my dad has been her caretaker ever since. Over the years her health got progressively worse. My dad finally agreed to go on a pilgrimage to Rome and needed someone that he trusted to take care of her or he refused to go.

Therefore ... my plan to briefly take over.

We had a wonderful time together, but I could tell that something wasn't right. She went home to Jesus on January 29th. My dad's words. I stayed with him for a week to help a little.

So how is he? He's a changed man. He's the dad I've been waiting for. And he's coming for a 2 1/2 week visit.

I think my brother is still his favorite, but since my brother doesn't really talk to us and hasn't for years ... well, he's stuck with me.

I'll let you know how it goes.

xoxo

Yvette