HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!

Whoa! How can it be that I haven't posted anything since January 26th?! My how time does fly! There hasn't been much action at Mom and Dad's house! The cold weather has kept them in, but has not dampened their spirits! Mom bundles up every morning, despite the weather, and walks down to the road to retrieve the newspaper! She really enjoys that! On the morning that the temperature was 13 degrees, she said her face got cold, but that was all because she wore plenty of layers! Isn't she amazing?! YES, in many more ways than that!!!

Dad is doing great. He and Mom are staying happy and warm in the house. They have a great routine in their day, one that works perfectly for them. Mom seems very unstressed these days since she has worked out a schedule with Jerry, the male caregiver, coming a couple of times a week for a couple of hours. He does anything Mom asks him to, a little housekeeping, washing dishes, changing light bulbs, staying with Dad while she goes to Wal-Mart or the grocery store, etc. She is so much more comfortable asking Jerry to do those things than family or friends. I think she hates to inconvenience any of us and there's a bit of pride involved also! But, like I said, it works for her and Dad, and that's what's most important!

Sadly, I have not been to their house in two weeks. It makes me so sad when my work or something in my schedule interferes with going to see them, but they are so supportive and make me feel okay about it! I won't let anything stand in the way of seeing them this week.

Being that today is Valentine's Day, I think so strongly about how Mom and Dad's love started this incredible web of family and taught all each of us about true love. I recently read that, "Love is a condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own." ~

Robert Heinlein ~ That quote seems to fit Mom and Dad perfectly. Often Dad will stop Mom as she walks by, take her hand and look into her eyes. Their eyes twinkle spontaneously and they have this moment that expresses true, unconditional love. They smile at each other, share a teenager-like giggle, as if they are sharing this secret that they're not going to tell, and then give each other a sweet little kiss to seal their lips! It's precious! We could only be so blessed to have a love like theirs! It's a fine God-given example for us to follow!

"We learn to love not by finding a "perfect" person, but by loving an "imperfect" person perfectly." And, the perfect example of this is God's love for each of us! "For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another." ~ 1 John 3:11

Amen!