It never gets any easier to say bye to my dad...

My dad works in Saudi Arabia and has been working there since December 2002. So it has been about 3 years now since he has started living away from us. December 2002 was the first time that my dad ever left us for a long period of time. My dad used to work 5 mins away from our home in Cairo and he used to always be home by 4pm maximum so he was very involved in our lives and we were a very close family. Since he left to go to Saudi our family has become less and less close...When he left all the load fell on my mum so she's always stressed out, and the rest of us feel the void of not having him around. We miss him, so much so that even though he has been coming and going for 3 years now I still cry my eyes out every time he leaves...Its a very bad feeling. When he leaves I feel like a part of me is leaving and the pain is unbelievable. I get very choked up. And its the same intense feeling every single time he leaves...I was hoping it would get better with time but it does not. But then again, I am glad it doesnt get any less painful because if it does it means I am getting used to not having him around which I dont want to do. I dont want to turn into one of these kids who gets so used to not having their dads around that when he's around they are upset. They start seeing their fathers as someone who comes and disrupts their routine...as someone else who comes with his own rules for you to obey...then the fathers keep buying more and more expensive gifts to try and win their kids over...I don't want to reach that point...no matter how painful it is to say bye every time, I'd rather that then to look at my dad as some stranger. My dad is precious to me...and I miss him and will continue to miss him always.