These are a few of my favorite people

Abuela arrived on Thursday, and we are so happy to have her here.  Aside from just being my Mom, she is such a wonderful person to have around.  We were fortunate this year to be able to celebrate her birthday on Friday.   I won't spill her age here, but let's just say she was a war baby and the kids think she might be on the verge of sudden death.  I don't know, she seems the same sweet Mama I've always had!

We celebrated her day by getting some DQ and recreating a picture we took almost 5 years ago at the watershed.  The top picture is us now, in case you can't tell, and the bottom picture is us three days after the Del Monster was born.   

Yes.  It is the same husband.

We are so very happy to have Mom here.  She is encouraging, and helpful, and kind, and fun, and sweet, and loves us so much, and prays for us so so so so much.  There are so many things we can do with our lives, but being a blessing to your children ranks right there at the top.  And she is definitely a blessing to us.  We love you Mama, and happy birthday!!

What is it about having a newborn that makes you feel invincible,  like you should be out doing rather than in sleeping?  What was wrong with me?

It felt especially bittersweet to me to have Mom here right around Father's Day because I have been feeling the loss of my Dad.  We don't have him for grown up Dad things.  I had him for my childhood, for my stupid teenage years and a couple of early 20's years.  In none, none, of those years could you have said I was an adult and that we had an adult relationship.  I had my head up my keister for many of those years and he was sick for some of those years, and it would be good to know him now that I am an adult.  

I would like to see him with my kiddos, loving on them.  I would like to ask him questions about life as a grown up.  I would like to ask him questions about the difficulties we experience and how to go through them.  I would like to see him have a relationship with the husband.  Mostly, I would just like to have him here.  

I know some things he would say if he was here.  He would tell me to talk to my mother, he would tell us the best things we can do is read our Bibles, pray, and love God, and he would tell us we need more ice cream.   

We can do all of those.

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We've been spending time with one of our favorite people in Mexico, and we spent today with our favorite people in the Region.  Mike's folks came went to church with us today; here are the good looking men, posing for a Father's Day picture.  

Happy Father's Day, Dad!  Happy Father's Day, Husband!  

Aren't they all good looking?  

If you didn't read my last post, I just need to tell you that I do, indeed, have the best in-laws.  Since it's Father's Day, we will focus on the Dad-in-law, but they are both wonderful.  Mike's dad is endlessly encouraging, unfailingly supportive and would give us everything he has if we need it.  He is a father with such a large amount of love for his children that you cannot escape it.  His love not only encompasses his kids, but it envelops the kid's spouses and children into it as well.  We cannot escape!  And we don't want to.  

I am grateful that Mike has his father for all the reasons I miss mine.  

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We also spent the day celebrating these two of my favorite people.

They have been married 62 years today. 

Sixty two years of commitment, of love, of praying together, loving together and going through good and bad together.  A faithful couple.     

Can you believe it?  Can you just tell that they are the cutest together?  

It's 10:41 pm right now, so I'd imagine they are just finishing watching the Cubs game and maybe eating one last bowl of ice cream.  That is, if we didn't wear them out with all our partying and Slip N' Sliding today.  Wait - I can hear Grandma saying, "I'm never too tired for the Cubbies!"  

Happy Anniversary you two!  

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So how's that for a post that drags you all over the map?  I couldn't figure out how to get it all in.  So much happiness, sadness, pride, hope, and love wrapped in one weekend.   Our little family is so surrounded by love that we cannot help but do our very best to make all of our favorite people proud. By staying faithful to my job as a mother and spouse, or the husband working his hardest to shepherd his little family into an uncertain future, or raising children who will hopefully celebrate their 62nd anniversaries. Because of the love we are given and the love we come from. 

"It is not from ourselves that we learn to be better than we are."  - Wendell Berry