A New Appreciation

I have always recognized that I have great parents. Well, almost always . . . Of course, there were those teenage years where I thought that most everyone else's parents were way cooler than mine. Don't most teenagers go through that? I think my kids are right there right now. :) Anyway, my mom and dad have always been there for my brother and me. And for my kids. They have been there in all sorts of ways.

They are amazing grandparents (Mimi & Papa) to my children and my kids spent enormous amounts of time with them over the years. Time spent fishing, bike riding, garden planting and picking, cookie baking, card playing, cow chasing and many, many other activities. A relationship that my boy and girl will be able to treasure for years to come.

I have always appreciated them, but I think that I also took them for granted. You know what I mean . . . my mom would call and want to chat and I had more important things on my agenda. The very important t.v. show that I wanted to watch or some other inane waste of time. So, I would hurry her off of the phone. Or, either Mom or Dad would want me to stop by the house, but I had other "important" business to attend to. NOT.

Anyway, recently my dad had a health scare. A tumor on his left kidney. CANCER . . . Let me tell you, when you hear that word, it puts everything else into perspective. He had sugery to remove the kidney about 6 weeks ago. He came through the surgery with flying colors and has recovered remarkably well. He did have a set back about 4 weeks ago, but since then he is doing so great. We are so blessed that the type of tumor that he had is almost always confined to the kidney (as was his) and his right kidney was uneffected. Praise God!!! He is 72 and I am 44, but I'm not ready for him to move on to his Heavenly reward.

So, as a result, I am much more aware of my good fortune to have both of my parents still living and still married to each other after over 45 years together. They are amazing!