What a wonderful world

I attended a funeral yesterday. It was for a family friend of ours who had cancer. Watching his daughter crumble made me realize how truly blessed I am. My own father has battled cancer, and it could have just as easily been him. As the priest said, "Cancer doesn't know who you are, but we do...."

There is so much that I constantly take for granted. As I sat there yesterday praying that I would never have to bury my husband or see Addie as broken as the young girl was, I realized how much in our daily lives we routinely do. Yet, in such a tragedy, that routine would change in a heartbeat. I am thankful for our dinners together around the table each night. I am thankful for how Addie likes to wake her daddy up on Saturday and Sunday mornings. I am thankful for hearing her little voice saying, "Elp Me" when she needs our assistance.

I am also thankful for the many friends and family that we have around us, who constantly bless us with their love. From those near by, to those far away, our family has always been blessed by love. During this season of thankfulness, I pray each and every one of you know of the impact you have made on our lives. Edgar and I could not have made it through the trails and tribulations of this past year without you all.

This new year we will celebrate bringing a new life into our family. As I sat yesterday in the funeral and felt the baby kicking, I thought of the sweetness of the beginning of life, as well as the bittersweetness of the end of life. Although this father of four will now be painfree and with his maker, there are so many lives grieving for his loss.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of our loved ones - may you always know how much we love you and may you be as blessed as we are this upcoming year and all to come....