Christmas 2013

I am blessed. My wife, Kimberly, and I will celebrate our 39th wedding anniversary on February 1, 2014. Although I always thought we would stay married forever, I look back and have to wonder why she is still hanging in there. I love her! I thank God for our four wonderful children. We had three boys, and then a girl. They are each special, and I love them all. They are all now married to wonderful people, and they have given us eleven (as in one more than ten) exciting grand-kids. I also have a dog named Beasley. My quiver is full.

My parents are still with us. Dad will be 94 in January. Mom is 87. Both are in relatively good health, and they will have about 80 of their offspring and in-laws at their house the Sunday after Christmas. I am looking forward to seeing all my siblings and nieces and nephews. I am also looking forward to the food.

Kim's parents are no longer with us. Her father, Frank, died in 1982. Her mother, Lil, went in 2001. I can't believe how long they have been gone. I can still vividly remember how excited Frank was about Auburn football (Kim got it honestly), and how much he loved my boys. Lil was a great cook (Kim got that honestly, too), and she was a great mother-in-law. I miss them. We are blessed to be able to spend a  lot of time with Kim's sister, Paula, and her family.

I am also blessed to have so many great friends. Some of them I see almost daily, and some I am lucky to see once a year. There are even some that I have not seen in years, but thanks to technology we can still stay in touch. I know that if I needed them, they would be there for me. I hope they feel the same about me.

Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year!