In the last week it would be what I would call a big bag of mixed emotions. First, sadness in hearing of the great loss of a very dear friend of our family. Someone who we spent a lot of time with growing up. The years may have put a distance between us as our families grew up and moved away from Lockwood Street but we remained friends just the same, keeping in touch and visiting when we could, but there are regrets it was never enough. My dad and he were very close back then, the best of friends, brothers from another mother. They hunted together, fished together and just sat around shooting the bull together every chance they got. Every time my dad spoke of him his eyes would tear up, he truly loved his friend, Ben. My heart aches because my dad who suffered a massive stroke a few months ago doesn’t know his dear old friend has passed. Because of the damage the stroke has caused to his brain he lost a lot of memory. In a way, I guess this may be a blessing as I know it would only break his heart to learn his friend is gone.

My heart is broken for his family. His kids who he loved dearly and his grandchildren who he adored. And my heart aches for his wife, I can’t imagine the loss that she feels. They were married for 55 years, what a beautiful legacy of love. She was by his side as he fought the devastating disease, Alzheimer’s. Though he was sick at the last his family can take great comfort in knowing that today he is walking on those beautiful golden streets a healthy and whole man, enjoying the majestic wonders of Heaven with our Savior. When the day shall come, he will be there, waiting with open arms, waiting for each one, calling them by name welcoming each into Splendor. What a day that will be!

Then we had this……

Also last week, our daughter became engaged to her longtime boyfriend! We are very happy for them and so excited! She and I have been happily planning a beautiful wedding. Looks like it will be a Spring wedding so we have our work cut out for us to get everything done. But that won’t be a problem, we work well under pressure!

Our daughter is 27 and thinking about her getting married makes me nostalgic about the little girl who just wanted a pony and didn’t want anything to do with boys. She got a pony back then, now looks like she got the boy. Bear with me in the next few months, I will be “wedding focused” and rather emotional I’m sure. But my little girl only gets married once and I am going to enjoy every single moment!