Day 9
I am grateful for my mother-in-law, Patricia Starr.
Two years ago today Pat lost her battle with cancer. Even though we knew that day was coming it didn't make it any easier to hear the words "she is gone".
I miss her. I miss her alot.
She is a hero in my eyes. She set such a beautiful example of "dying to self" and preferring others before herself, even when she was ravaged in pain.
I miss her hugs. I can still feel her squeeze and hear her, "awww" as I was given that hug.
I miss the times when her and Dad would come over for dinner. While Rick and Merle were in the living room visiting Pat would be sitting in the kitchen helping me. We would always have a bottle of wine open while we were cooking - many times she would be sitting at the dining room table waiting for me "come up with something for her to do" and she would get up, come over to me and say, "I need to give you a hug." As she was giving me that hug she would tell me how much she loved me and how glad she was that I was part of their family. The guys would laugh at us girls because by the time dinner was ready she and I had already finished that bottle of wine.
Thank you Lord for the opportunity to know a wonderful woman.
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Day 10
Today I am thankful for my husband.
Ten years ago this coming February I met Rick. We were both in the parking lot of our apartment complex...he lived on one end, I on the other. He was on his way back from walking his dog and we struck up a conversation, we ended up standing there for about 2 hours talking. During our conversation we found we had a common interest of running....I actually was a run/walker.....and decided it would be fun to meet one morning and run to the stairs at St Martins University, that run was the beginning of a lifetime together.
In the late Summer or early Fall of 2001 Rick took me up to those stairs one afternoon and sat me down. He began to tell me all the things he appreciated about our relationship, when he stood up, which I thought was to stretch, he turned around and got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. Of course I said, "Yes"!!
We have the most awesome relationship. I appreciate what a good heart he has. He was careful not to push himself onto my children, who were grown at the time, rather he said, "I am not going anywhere, time will show them who I am." I think because of that attitude they really learned to respect him.
I have learned from him to "choose my battles" in life. Some things are just not important to get all upset about.
I have been shown "unconditional" love. Rick has accepted me just as I am. He has never tried to make me someone I am not. He does encourage me to follow my dreams and to be "true to myself".
Rick is the most awesome grandfather to our grandchildren. It is funny to reflect on how timid he was when Milla, the oldest grandchild, was a baby. By the time Audrey, grandchild number 3, came around he was really getting the hang of things. I love to watch him interact with the grandkids, he is so generous and patient. His lap is where the kids love to go to just sit, or to listen to him read "just one more" story.
To say the least, I have been blessed beyond measure.
Thank you heavenly Father for my partner, my friend, my lover....my husband.
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