Why do I/We keep asking?

The following questions were posted by my sweet 2nd cousin by marriage, Rachel.

What words are there left to use when the one person who should get you the most doesn’t? What is left to say when you’ve tried all your life to be understood and still haven’t been? How do you keep putting your heart out, just to have it broken over and over? What can you do to be seen for who you are, nothing more, nothing less?

I asked her if I could share them and use them to jump into a blog post and she graciously said yes.

This was my reply, 

This is probably the hardest question we ask ourselves. I have asked this question so many times and eventually have to remember that Christ loves me for me, just the way I am and there is nothing I can say or do to change anyone's mind. I wish I could give you a big hug and make those people who you crave so much in your life understand who and what they are missing. I love you Rachel!!! And most importantly God loves you, Andy loves you and you are surrounded by so many friends who love and care about you!!! Sending big hugs!!!!

But the mind is now racing and I find myself wanting to write more...

I can't remember how many times I sat in my therapist's office, her home or our pastor's office and asked "Why doesn't she love me? What did I ever do to make her hate me so much?  How many times to I have to beg her to just love me, heck just like me?"  

First I find myself asking in regards to my mom?  Then my dad? Then my sister? And then I shed tears beyond measure wondering why I am so unloveable?  All I've ever wanted is for my mom to say she loved me.  For my dad to say he loved me, for my sister not to hate me but also those questions still go unanswered and as far as I know in this lifetime will never be answered.  

My mom is no longer here, she has been gone for almost 13 years, my dad it's been almost 17 and my sister has refused to speak to me since September 2008 ~ yes almost 10 years!!!  

I could drive myself crazy by asking these questions over and over.

In fact, I almost did!!!

I almost let the pain of the little girl growing up, being called "idiot child," "one of my three mistakes," and "problem child" win!!!

But with the love of my husband,

the love of my Abba Father, the love and care of

friends and some family members, therapists and counselors who did not give up on me,

the love of my son's, their sweet wives and the smiles of my grandchildren

I came to realize that there wasn't anything

I could do to make my mom love me, my dad smile in his eyes when he saw me,

or even get my sister to like me much less talk to me.

BUT

what I could do is be the woman 

God created me to be!!!

A woman who loves her husband,

even when he does stupid things

and yet loves me unconditionally, day in and day out,

when I have tried his patience to the end.

A mom and grammy who would do anything in her power 

to make her children and grandchildren smile and laugh

and know that no matter what they did or didn't do know

without a shadow of a doubt that they are loved!!!

And mean the world to me!!!

I am the woman God created.  

I am far from perfect

but I am genuine and I care with my whole being.

I love to make others smile,

I hate when people are hurting,

I cry at the drop of a hat,

laugh when I should cry,

swear when I shouldn't,

try to be an encourager

and yet still make mistakes and say stupid things

BUT 

I don't try anymore to get people

to like me ~ either they do or they don't.

I make choices now based on what I feel is right,

what's right for me and my husband.

I say I'm sorry when I'm wrong

and probably even when I'm not.

I wish I could say I haven't asked myself 

the why? how come? what can I do?

in many years

but every once in awhile

I still ask, I wonder

and I even picture having that one more conversation with my sister

(she's the only one left)

and then I have to remember to 

STOP

and look at what I am:

I am blessed beyond measure!!!

I am loved by those who mean the most to me!!!

And

again

So my sweet Rachel,

remember you are loved by many,

the many who bring you blessings,

who are about you

and know what a wonderful

woman, wife and mom

you are!!!

And the one think I remind myself of often,

their behavior and actions 

are their loss.

And we are 

Blessed 

Beyond

Measure!!!!

Changes on the Horizon ~ Yes AGAIN!!

And once again, we are making changes.

Well, in fact, we have already made some changes in our lives and more changes are coming.  

On April 19 we gave our notice at Hi~Road Campground.

Things were just not working for us.

Both of us were having some issues.

And so we began praying for what to do next.

Our friends, Gary & Amy called one day and asked if we had ever thought of Gate Guarding?  Yes, a few years back and now the opportunity was presenting itself once again.  So we decided to take the plunge.

April 22 was our last day at Hi~Road Campground.

We left there on Monday, April 23.

We went to

which has a brand new campground and stayed for two days.

On Tuesday, April 24

we went to the

Tuweap, which is part of the North Rim of the

Grand Canyon!!

We hiked around for about 45 minutes, 

got a bit of a sunburn

but enjoyed seeing God's beauty!!

On Wednesday, April 25

we made our way to 

Las Vegas Thousand Trails.

It has been warm, sunny and wonderful to be back

where our lives started together.  

One day we drove around and found our the church we first met at

Desert Hills Baptist Church

 It has definitely changed from the one building located on a gravel road

to a huge sanctuary

To our first apartment ~ 

inside the red door, up the stairs to the apartment on the left.

The only difference, it has since been painted.

We then drove to the hospital where

Royce & Jamie were transferred after their birth.

Can't believe it has been over 40 years!!!

We are so thankful for the doctors who treated our boys

And then a stop at the cemetery

where Royce was laid to rest.

We were pleasantly surprised to see someone had put 

two pinwheels on his grave.

And then we drove up to Hoover Dam,

Boulder City and Lake Mead

where we spent many a weekend.

Note: the four islands behind us used to be one little island,

that is how low the water level is now.

It has been good to be back in 

Las Vegas for a few days

but work is calling our names.

Tomorrow we begin our trek back to Texas

where we will finish up the paperwork

and get our fingerprints taken (again ~ you would think in this day and age, they would transfer from one business to another).

And begin the next adventure of

our life together.

Stay tuned to see where we go and what we do!!!