My father, Jay Yarwood, is the Dad
of the Year, regardless of how this essay fares in this contest. He has come
through for me, his daughter, in such a way that you may not even believe it. I need
to tell my story from the beginning so that you not only believe the ending, you
may even expect it.
The story starts almost two years ago. I was a stay at home mom to my three daughters,
and was dreaming of going back to school to earn my doctorate in pharmacy. I had
been a teacher before having children, and I knew I did not want to return to that
profession. I knew that pharmacy was the perfect profession for me, but it required
four more years of school. I did not want to put my children in daycare, and was
resigned to the fact that going back to school was out of the question. But my husband
and I thought we could try asking my parents if they would watch our three girls,
ages 7, 3 and 1, so I could follow my dream. I called them, asked them, and they
answered yes without even hesitating. I couldn't believe it! So we moved to Pullman
from Waterville, WA and they moved to Pullman from Frankfort....Michigan.
My retired parents became the most incredible grandparents of all time. They went
from barely knowing our children to being with them up to 12 hours a day, five and
more days a week. My husband worked out of town most of the first semester, trying
to transfer his painting business here, and I had late labs and study sessions. My
mom cooked dinner most nights, and my dad cleaned up so I could spend some time with
my kids. They went on countless>walks, went to the park, drove them to pre-school
and gymnastics, and even endured a year of changing diapers. Best of all, my dad
played with them and spent the quality time with them that I did not have the time
for. I had worried so much about my lack of play time with them. I knew in my heart
my decision was doing no harm to my kids when I came home late one evening and found
my dad on the floor, wrestling with all three girls. With my husband gone so much,
the girls missed the physical play, and 60+ year old grandpa was up for the replacement.
The year was so incredibly challenging for us all, yet the joy and fun of us all
living together was so fulfilling that my parents loaded up their 30 foot travel
trailer once again this fall (did I mention they lived in that thing all year, parked
in our driveway?!) and started to make their way back West. They were half-way here
when they got the phone call that their house had burned down after they left. I
started school in two days. Did they turn around? By now you may guess correctly
that no, they did not turn back around to the house they had lived in for 35 years.
They arrived on time and took care of me and my precious family. Through many phone
calls and one trip back to Michigan by my mom, the details are slowly working out
for >them.
I could write pages on the sacrifices and time my parents have put in for me and
my family, but I need to end this essay here. I'll put the rest to writing later,
when my pages can be unlimited and I'm not sitting next to someone in this computer
lab so my tears can flow freely. I love you Dad and Mom, thank you so much. |
|
