My dad passed away yesterday and I am processing everything. His illness was really terrible for a long time so even though we knew it was coming, I'm still in shock. It's hard to try and find positivity in my pain, but my Dad taught me so much when he was healthy, and when he wasn't. I wanted to share some of the lessons, because he deserves to remembered for what he taught me, in sickness & in health.

Humans have SO much strength. Really, we can handle more than we ever thought possible.

It's okay to cry your eyes out.

It's okay to not understand the reason for everything. This is a biggie for me because I'm a sucker for meanings but right now, I just feel sad and that's okay.

Be on my phone less. This one seems weird but in his final moments I was all in, no checking my phone because it really didn't matter. All that mattered was him. This was a moment I needed to remember and I would've regretted it if I was distracted in this part of his journey.

Surround yourself with a support system. Sometimes we need people to lean on. Ask for help when you need it. My mom and dad needed a lot of help. I needed a lot of help. We were surrounded by people willing to help us and instead of shutting them out like we've done in the past, we let them in and it was exactly what we needed.

Not everyone will understand your experience and that's okay. This was a long and hard journey for my mom and I and all of those who care about us and my Dad. Just knowing people are here for us means a lot, but I also know that no one will fully understand my experience and that's okay as we are all different.

Family is not necessarily the people who brought you into this world. I am adopted and I know we chose each other. And he loved me more than anyone on this Earth.

There's nothing more important than being with the ones you love. I was struggling deciding whether to come down to FL or not. My mom told me it was my choice, and then i realized there's no where else I'm supposed to be. I was able to hold my Dad when he took his last breath, and although it was the hardest thing I've ever done so far, I am FOREVER grateful I was there for him at this time. My job has its biggest fundraiser of the year tomorrow and I don't care, jobs come and go, but this will be with me forever and always. I have no regrets. My mom and I made sure that my Dad knew he was loved through this journey. We love him so much and know he loves us more than anything and just knowing that gives me great peace that my beautiful angel is surrounded by so much love. Love is the best thing we can ever do, and love is what truly matters. Everything else is secondary.