Monday, November 14, 2011

warning: this is going to get personal

My mind has been busy the last little while, reflecting on a lot of different things. Now, please bear with me as I clumsily write my thoughts while I have a few quiet moments (minus my favorite little baby grunts in the background).
This month has had me thinking of some of the things I'm grateful for. With my dad's birthday on November 3, a lot of that thinking has been of him.
I'm not one to share personal happenings with many people- having people's attention is a hard thing for me to handle- so when my dad passed away last July I only told a few of my closest friends and two of my teachers. It was just my way of avoiding attention.
It's time for me to get past that. I want Max to know how much I miss his grandpa; how often during my pregnancy I thought about Dad teaching this little baby and getting him ready; how much I hoped Dad would be there to usher Max into this world. 
I'm grateful for my dad's constant teaching, although, he may not have ever known that. I'm grateful for his quiet example. I'm grateful for his faith in the midst of trials, his living testimony, and his willingness to do hard, and sometimes demoralizing things. I'm grateful that he taught me to love this country that he had served so well. I'm also grateful for his crazy dance moves, his huge fake smile, and the way he loved his grandkids. I'm grateful for my dad and I miss him every day, but what a blessing to know I don't have to feel that way forever.
That's my message for the day. I know it's a little sappy, but I'm not going to apologize for it. Now, give your parents a hug and kiss when you see them next!



Thursday, November 3, 2011