I was just reading my cousin’s blog and one of her entries was about a day that her dad came and spent time with her girls and one of her nieces. It made me think about my dad and the time he spent with my kids and the joy it brought to their lives. I have two nieces and they mean just as much to him as my children when they were alive. Not that it should be any other way its just that it is just fun to watch my dad interact with his grand kids. I see a side of him that age and time has seemed to erode in my memory and when I see him play with them and hold them I am able to go back in time and remember my childhood and the memories of going with him on cattle drives, road trips and just the one-on-one time with my dad that made me feel like I was on top of the world. He did those same kinds of things with my kids. They absolutely loved riding Sweetie.
Raquel was so pleased with herself when she got to ride all by herself. She loved it so much that there were times she just DID NOT want to get off. My dad was such a softy because sometime he would take her around a couple more times before she would have to get off and let one of her brothers have a turn or Sweetie needed a rest and riding time was over.
About a week and a half ago I needed a blessing and so my dad and my brother-in-law came with my mom and sister to give me a blessing. After the blessing, they looked at the notebook that I had complied ,with my friend Maxine’s help, and we talked about Raquel and the boys. My dad mentioned that the picture I had chosen for the notebook of him and Raquel at Lacey’s wedding was his favorite and he also commented on the pictures of the kids on Sweetie. I know I have mentioned this before; however, some things are just worth repeating. We were able to share memories with each other that mean something to all of us. Michael will always be “Tough Guy” and my children will always and for eternity be grand children. It hurts sometimes when my mom brags like other grandmas do about the number of grand kids she has. It’s NOT because she brags it’s because four of the six grand children are not with us. They are just in our hearts and memories. I am glad that she mentions them despite the hurt because it reaffirms the testimony that I have of eternal families and I remember it was my mom who helped to cultivate that testimony.
It is because of my family old and new that I am able to look forward ,with a brightness of hope , to the time that I will be with my family once again Never to be separated from them.