The other day a friend asked me how my christmas vacation was, she said, tell me a hi-light and a low-light. Well, there were so many things that could be highlights because we were so blessed. We got to spend time with JOsh's fam and mine. Asher had so much fun with his grammy and poppy Luse, aunts and uncles,cousins, his grandma sue, great grandma joe and papa joe and Oren.
But in the midst of all this blessing, I was struck with some negative news and it had me thinking really deeply about what Christmas is all about and much more. I guess I'm a sensitive person because I felt kind of down at Christmas time because of some of these negative things. A family member was in the hospital, very frail and weak, another family member was in jail and one of Josh's family members was in the hospital also and has since passed away.
To top it all off, I had some of my family members talk to me about being worried about my dad's health. I have always been daddy's little girl, so it tears me up to hear others concerned about his health, makes me just worry more. To make the story short on my dad. He used to be this happy, content guy, who loved his family and sang all the time. Anything you would say, he could start singing a song with that line in it. His favorite was the beattles and he can sing you every line of every song. In fact, I could probably sing you every line of every song, because I've absorbed all the music he used to play into my brain. My favorite song he would sing? "Julie, Julie, Julie, do you love me?"
But when my parents got divorced in the ninth grade, things changed. When they went their separate ways and my dad became a batchelor living all alone, his spirit began to harden. He hasn't sang since. He suffers with heart disease currently, has had a couple surgeries to avoid heart attacks. I wish he would stop smoking, but I think the cigarette has become his most reliable friend. (A friend that will take his life in the end). He doesn't have much motivation to get better, to change things, or even to get checked out when he needs to get checked out. He will mutter something stuborn like "Well, I've got nothing to live for." Oh, but you do Dad! Me! And your beautiful little Asher! (pic of Dad and Asher coming soon!)
Maybe Asher will be the one to change my father, he has this power and I know he's caught my father's heart. So, drum roll please, the high-light of my whole vacation is something so simple you might not even get, but try with me for a second.
We visited my dad again as we were headed back through Lincoln, on our way back to Boulder. We ate at Schlotsky's, Josh's favorite. They were playing Beattles songs on the radio. My dad was holding Asher and I went to the bathroom. My dad started humming to the song, of course we both knew it, I was in the bathroom having flash backs to the last time I heard my dad sing along, almost 13 years ago. I come out of the bathroom, and without drawing any attention to himself, without thinking twice, my dad starts singing the song to Asher. BREAKTHROUGH!!!! This was a big deal, and my heart was filled with all good emotions, love, pride, joy, hope, everything! It's small, but it's just the beginning. Thank you God for the little things!
Two housewifes went boarding on Monday to Eldora. We are both beginners so it was going to be an exciting day. We arrived at the lift that takes you to the green hills. The Eldora worker says, "you guys been boardin' long?" we say, "no, not at all," he says, "well, good luck, then!" Hey, what's that supposed to mean? I just have to say for the record...WE TORE IT UP OUT THERE! Oh yea, we were all over the green. So after lunch we graduated to the big lift and went up the mountain to some blues. A little icy, proved to be a little rough, provided some nasty wipe outs, but over all, I think we conquered! Can't wait to do it again Jan! Your awesome! Oh yea, and to my wonderful hubby-thanks! He watched both our kiddos for the day, how awesome is he?
