The Ugly Cry

Thanksgiving day, man, I could not hold it together. I was a babbling mess. The ugly cry. The salty drips kept coming...and coming.

Eva said, "Mom, stop. Babies do that!"

Watching the Macy's Parade

I don't think she has ever seen me cry before. But my heart was full of thanks and apparently it was running over.

Long story short, we ate and poured our thanks over the food as we devoured. I knew it was going to be hard for me this year. In fact, I told Brandon the night before, I already had concerns over letting the tears flow.

Brandon's doodle on the "table cloth".

This is it. My dad was diagnosed with cancer a year ago. Let me say, there was not one part of my being that thought he would not fight...and win. I knew it in my spirit. I wasn't afraid. I wasn't worried. And I AM SO thankful that he is officially in remission and he has won.

My table.

My tears poured out though, in honor of Linda, my dad's wife, who lovingly poured out her life, both physically and emotionally, to help Dad get through. I don't think she was even aware of how her hands of service toward my dad, actually were hands of kindness to me. I don't know how he would have worked full time, attended the needs of the house and property, and kept his head up until the end.

I just know that she has been placed in his life and ours, for such a time as this.

And I am truly, grateful.

Bird's Eye View

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13