13

The Holidays are nearly over. I am always a little sad to see them go because I love Christmas so much. But every year I resolve to keep the spirit of Christmas with me all year. That and the extra candy weight.
Heaven knows that the last couple of months have been really lame around here. Three major surgeries, Robert gone for a week and all of us have been really, really sick. Super fun. But, yet again, we have been taken care of.
Our ward has been astounding. We have had meals brought in, our house cleaned, our kids taken to play and just the overall sense of charity. On Christmas Eve, the young Women stopped over and, much like a reverse tornado, blew through the house making it sparkle and smell so good. They wrapped a few presents and even disinfected light switches and door knobs. Wow.
Two Sundays ago we needed a prescription picked up but both Robert and I were too sick to go, so Robert texted his dad who left church and picked it up for us. He dropped off the prescription, got a look at us, and went back to the church to get Roberts mom. They came over, brought soup, cleaned up the dishes and took our kids with them to their house. What a blessing they are.
But now we are on the mend. I wish I could say I was back to cooking dinners and cleaning. But I must be honest and admit that our whole family has been lazy this week. The table is a Lego workshop I have not even cared. The only person cleaning has been Jain who keeps her play room immaculate. She is just trying to make the rest of us feel bad.
Now to switch gears. Yesterday was my wedding anniversary. 13 years. It may not be so long in time, but in content...we have been married for 100 years! I still count down until he gets home from work and love his days off. Often he is downstairs with the boys while Jain and I are upstairs but just knowing that he is in the house makes me content. This morning in church, the speaker said something that reminded me of a line from the movie Toy Story. I laughed silently and turned to my side before I realized that he was in another ward. We just have so many little jokes and connections that I definitely feel it when he is not there. There have been sad times, especially the last few years, but we cling to each other and no one can make me laugh through the tears like he can. I love that man fiercely and he has my heart and soul. How did I ever get so lucky?!
But do not think he is always perfect. He sometimes sings and dances for me and he would never make it on Broadway. He chose my user name for Words With Friends and he chose Jodikat. ??? At times he says he is a bull and uses his head to push me onto the couch for snuggles. See? Not perfect or even normal.
I love you, Robert, and I feel blessed to be with you FOREVER!!