Welcome Home?

So, Christmas time was awkward and hard, but we enjoyed the time we had with him. We told Dad that we didn't want anything for Christmas, especially because of the statements he made about her having to help him buy presents. We told him it wasn't about the presents and we just wanted to spend time with him. He insisted and I get it. He asked what we wanted, and we gave him very minimal ideas to keep things simple.

We sat through multiple conversations about how her son is building him a house on the land he no longer owns. It's going to be a 4 bedroom, 3 bath, 2 car garage..... tell me the house is really for my dad. Dad is excited, and I understand. He's lived in that old beat-up trailer for over 30 years. This will be the nicest house he will ever live in.

Since then, most of the time, even now, when we do talk it's about the house being built. He packed up all of his stuff and brought some of the memorabilia to Justin and me, pictures, records, and things that we cherish.

He is living with her and her oldest son in a house, but now they've taken the trailer, my dad really doesn't have anything to his name. Of course, that's a touch of an exaggeration. He has a tractor and a few things here and there but no home, no land, and he's at the mercy of where they say he can live.

We truly wonder if Dad is going to get to live in that house. That tiny house that my dad worked on for her to live on is still out on the eldest son's land, and Justin and I wonder if, at some point during the build, it will be brought up that the other son who owns the land and is building the house isn't going to have a need come up to where he and his family will have to move into the new house, but they will help Dad fix up the tiny one. We wouldn't be shocked at anything that happens at this point.

If Dad does get to move into the new house, it will never be his. It will just be the place he gets to live "until the day he dies." I talked to him this weekend, and I told him that I hope his heart can make the new house a home. For me, it takes a ridiculous amount of time to feel like a place is home, and I pray that he won't feel misplaced with whatever happens.

So this is where we are. We will stay the course. We are saturating this in prayer. Justin and I have different approaches for now, and that is fine. Justin is more standoffish and will only respond if Dad reaches out to him, and this has afforded Justin a lot of peace. I still reach out to Dad because... honestly... I guess I still have hope.

But for now... whatever it takes to keep going