Final Post

This will be my last blog entry here. I will ‘close’ this blog and only post on Eli’s blog from now on. That blog address is: www.eli-eli-oh.blogspot.com So please check on us there and see what’s going on!

I have much gratitude for my parents and the way they raised me. I sometimes feel cheated that Daddy won’t be here in person to watch as I grow in my ‘Mommy’ role or as Eli grows up. But, I am thankful for the time we did have with Daddy. I just miss him.

Gratitude

To be grateful is to

Recognize the Love of

God in everything

He has given us –

And He has given us

Everything.

Every breath we draw

Is a gift of His love,

Every moment of existence

Is a grace,

For it brings with it

Immense graces from Him.

Gratitude therefore

Takes nothing for granted,

Is never unresponsive,

Is constantly awakening

To a new wonder and

To praise of the

Goodness of God.

For the grateful person

Knows that God is good,

Not by hearsay

But by experience.

And that is what makes

all the difference.

By Thomas Merton

Friends, please love your family and tell them often that you feel that way. Life is too short to hold grudges and let past faults cause you anger. Blessings to all of you and thank you for reading this blog and supporting us on our journey. We have needed your kind words and actions to help carry us to this point. Please don’t hesitate to check and see how we are doing.

Laying of the Wreath

Each year at the DFW Veterans' Cemetary, there is a ceremony where wreaths are put on graves of the fallen.  We didn't attend last year but we went this year with some dear friends of my parents.  Mom and I did well - we didn't cry until we got home which is definitely an accomplishment!  Maybe it was because our friends were keeping us laughing!  Mr. Vessel's sense of humor is like my dad's.  He says some of the funniest things and even seemed to appreciate it when I told him his comment sounded like something Daddy would say!

The color guard played an active part of posting colors and saluting as each wreath for each service was brought forward and placed.

The bagpiper MUST have been colder than the rest of us!  But he did a great job and was a nice addition to the service.

This is the wreath for the Army - where Daddy served.

Volunteers put wreaths on many graves throughout the cemetary. 

I'm going to close out this blog at the end of the year - today - and publish it as a hardback book.  That way, we'll have a permanent document to read and remember and Eli can read it when he gets older and begins to ask questions about Grandad.  One more post will occur this afternoon before I send the blogs to BLURB.  Thanks for reading.

Time Passes

We've made it through another holiday season - with the exception of New Year's - without Daddy.  And, as time has passed, I feel less sad, at times for missing Daddy.  It isn't, of course, the life I thought we'd have at this point but it is what it is.  That being said, Mom is coping well - sometimes better than the rest of us!

I sometimes wish my present self could go back in time to my past self and give myself a big hug and tell her things will be okay.  Because, even though it's different without Daddy, it's okay.  Kinda like a new normal?

Anniversary, part 2

We visited Daddy's stone and put some more flowers in the grass.  The cemetary has rules about when you can put things on the graves and then stuff is picked up on weird intervals.

It was very sad.  We had a difficult time.  I know, in my heart, that Daddy isn't there and I know he doesn't need me to visit him there.  I talk to him all the time.  But, something about seeing his name on that stone...yuck!!

Eli said last week that when he's a pilot, he'd like to fly his airplane up to Heaven to see Grandad.  How sweet is my boy?

How many pictures of the cemetary do you need, though, right?

Miss you Daddy!!

A Year Anniversary

We made it past the summer and into the beginning of the school year.  We had some difficult times without Daddy, of course.  More on that in another post.

Instead of staying home on the anniversary of Daddy's death, we decided to go to the Mesquite Rodeo.  I know that Daddy would have loved taking Eli to the rodeo for the first time.  (We hadn't been since Eli was 6 weeks old when Grandpa Jim was here...)

Anyway, here are a couple of pics from our night there.

47 years ago tomorrow

I know the blog title tells you that 47 years ago tomorrow...but I don't have a scanned picture of their wedding day.  So, here's one of the earliest pics I have of our little family.  Taken in 1972, this is one of the first family portraits of us.  Don't you love my white boots and everyone's BIG hair?

So, back to 47 years ago tomorrow...my parents were preparing for their wedding.  Yes, that's right - They got married on a holiday weekend.  July 6, 1963 and it was a great day - I wasn't there, but those that were tell some great stories.  Apparently, Phoeniz, Arizona was very HOT that day/weekend!

As we remember the great father, husband, brother, son we had in my dad, we also remember what a great example my parents showed us of loving each other when times get tough and making good decisions for your kids.  Thanks to both of you for being such awesome role models!  I also want you to know that you were/are great grandparents!  Eli is so lucky!

Relay for Life

** This post can also be found on Eli's blog **

Last night was the Relay for Life in McKinney. Mom and I joined the team with my school and raised some money for cancer research. Thanks to all of you who sent money in memory of Dad for this event. We appreciate you!

We took Eli with us with the plan that Husband would come get him to take him home when he got tired. He had so much fun! He got to sit in a helicopter (so did Grandma and I), play catch with my principal, run around with some of the other teachers' kids, walk with us on the track, dance to the music and see lots of people he hasn't seen in awhile.
For Mom and I, it was a bittersweet night. We were both okay, for the most part, and didn't get too weepy with missing Daddy. But, there were a couple of times that we were both pretty sad and teary - during opening ceremonies when they were announcing all the survivor's names and also when some of the music spoke to us very clearly. We did better than I thought we would, though, seeing as how it was not too long ago (really) when Daddy died.

Eli made it to just past 9 when he was asking to be carried or just sit down. So, we called Husband and he came over. The pic below was taken while we were waiting for Husband. Eli wanted to sit in the grass to wait. He was so sweet to snuggle with Grandma! And, Friday morning, he woke up asking for her! Eli loves his Grandma! (And so do I!)
After the boys left, we continued our walk for cancer, visited with more friends, had a hot dog, and registered for a cancer prevention research project before we decided to head home. There were threats of storms but I'm not sure if any showed up...
                                                           Praying for a cure for cancer.