Some Melanie News and a Ramble about Family


Last night Melanie had more contractions so Casi took her to the hospital again. They kept her overnight and hopefully she will get to come home today. Its total bed rest for her from now on. She hates heading off to the hospital, the deductibles from all her hospital stays are mounting up fast for them. After the baby is born, someone is planning what they call a "Diaper and Money" shower, to help out with all the medical expenses.
They have only been married for 6 1/2 months and have experienced so much. It is wonderful to see how strong their love for one another is during these trying times. I am so thankful that my children have marriages that are so filled with love and compassion. Compassion is like the glue that holds everything together, along with a deep friendship with their chosen life mates.
I like to think we have provided them with a good example.
I so well remember my mother telling me to "marry someone who is going to be your best friend, because there are times when all the romantic stuff is not the strongest ties, and when things get difficult, its friendship that is the strongest tie."
They were wise words and still are wise words. Emery is my all time best friend. Not a thing in the world I cannot talk to him about and he is the same with me. Then sprinkle that friendship with a heavy dose of love and romance and that's us.
I can see that same sort of relationship with my girls and their husbands.

On a funny note, a bunch of them at Emery's work played the lottery yesterday, its was a big one, 370 million or something. We all chatted last night about what we would do WHEN we win. It was hard for us to get past spending about $500,000.
The children have told us we can never move from this house since its home, the place they grew up, the place where all their fondest childhood memories are. The place that makes them feel good. The sounds are familiar, the smells are familiar, the land is special to them. So we had to imagine ways of spending that kind of money without changing the house much. We had lots of laughs over that.
Simple living is just about that sort of thing. Having a home so filled with love and good memories that your children never want it to be different. Having your children love you so much that they can look back and count more good family times than not.
Its not about how many lessons they take, or how much money you have, its about the deeper things in a family. Its about the comfort of playing on the floor and letting their imaginations fly. Its about running races in the yard with you and hours and hours of reading together. No TV stealing that time from your togetherness.
Its about meals around the table, conversations that help form character and opinions. Its about your grown children always wanting to come home to visit and seeing their expression soften as they walk through the door, the stressful adult world put on hold for this moment in time when they come home to see mom and dad. A place where you can be yourself and feel deeply loved

If your home isn't like this, work on it. Its worth the work. Imagine the kind of home you would want to come back to. None of us are perfect, and none of us wants to be greeted in judgment. The part I love about the prodigal son story, is that the father did not greet the son with a list of "I told you so's" or a list of the things the young man did wrong. He greeted him with open arms and an open heart. No judgments. A lesson for so many !
Mend broken fences, they work better fixed than broken.


Photo: A home or a hiding place in the cottonwood tree

Comments

Rowan said…
I'm sorry to hear that Melanie has been in the hospital again, hope she is home again now. It must be so worrying for her and for you and the rest of the family also. She is fortunate in having such a loving,supportive family to help her through all this. She will be in my thoughts.

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