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It is made clear though in 2 Cor.5:6-8 that being absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.

Is it????

2 Corinthians 5

1. Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.
2. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling,
3. because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked.
4. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.
5. Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
6. Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord.
7. We live by faith, not by sight.
8. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
9. So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it.

Verse says definitely that as long as we are breathing, we ain't gonna be with the Lord. But does verse 8 say that after death we WILL be?

I see Paul's PREFERENCE to be done with the problems of this world - and to be with the Lord - but one has to place a time between the two desires, otherwise it conflicts with OTHER Scriptures which say the opposite.

For years, we've been telling the same tale to little kids, that (after death) Fluffy or Nemo or Gramma is now with the Lord, that it has taken on a life of it's own....

When I was in the service, I could quite accurately say, "I desire to be out of this CS outfit and be lounging on the Riveria, enjoying my retirement." (There was going to be a LONG time span before this ever came about!)

6.therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord
8.We are confident,I say,and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. verse says definitely that as long as we are breathing,we ain`t gonna be with the Lord

You seem to be refuting your own argument.If at home in the body means being alive(breathing)which is a logical interpretation than being away from the body would mean not breathing(dead).This would still result in being at home or in the presence of the Lord.