Daughters too,

Daughters too,

OK OK.  So it is Valentimes Day.

To my husband and I..  it is just another day..  I refuse candy, flowers and etc..  and if you go back and read my Valentine Day post over the years.. you know why…  so not going to go into it again…  So for those of you who guilt your guy into buying you stuff that is way over priced…   go for it..   for the rest of us.. every day is Valentine’s day and gifts have no part in it.. You can spend money all you want..  but it is time and kindness and patience that shows all year around that shows if your spouse loves you.

Yesterday I did the proud of my son’s . and it would be amiss of me to not do it for my daughters…   I have two that don’t speak to me.. for which I am not going there..  but I am proud of them as they have stood up for what they believe.. they have gone against the rules of women and men jobs..  being separate by gender. They have done mechanic, welding, landscaping and sales person of tools… over the years…  

The other two.. the oldest and youngest have made me proud.  The oldest never took slack for what she stood for. She was a champion for trouble kids with her husband Kevin.  She stood up for what she thought was right..  and apologized if she found out she was wrong.  At her celebration of life there were a long string of young people who stood up to talk about the difference she made in their lives.  She was a strong friend to those she called friend. And when you got married the second time..  who became the love of her life...  she was way shorter than Miles.. but he always knew she was as tall as him, in spirit.... Sadly in 2017 God figured he needed her more than we needed her.  While she and I have difference of opinion many times in her short life time..  I was still very proud of her and who she became.

Now we get to the end of the group.. the baby of the tribe.  Who took a lot of static from her older siblings..  Yet grew up to be her own person.  Over the years when her boss and friends tell me what a great job I did raising her…  even she gives me way more credit for that than I deserve.   But as I have said with all my kids.. I laid down the foundation..  each and every one of my kids .. son’s and daughter’s … became whom they are.. because of THEIR hard work, their persisting in going on, when some times life threw the monkey wrench in their way.   And the youngest is no exception to this.    She was a single mom for many years…  and she raised her son to be honest and a hard worker.   She has 7 grandchildren because of her second husband Tim, who we lost in 2018.. She has been a great grandmother to all 7…   then life brought her 2 more. Who live near her.. They would be the first to tell you that she is the greatest of great person in their lives.  They never doubt her love for them.  And because they are just across the field (the rest are in California) she does so much with them.  Just about every Sunday is arts, and crafts and cooking with Grandma. The scene of those boys running from their house across the field with huge smiles on their faces to her house, is etched in her mind of great joy.  So she is a wonderful grandmother to all 9.   She is the rock at the company that she works for…. For 27 years, she has been loyal, persistent in keeping everything moving in her department with the company in mind. She has raised up thru the ranks 3 times.. she is full of fun as she and several girls come up with new ideas for fun for the rest of the employee’s.    

And she is a darn well great daughter..   she leaves me alone, to not feel like an old lady, yet is just a call away if needed.  And sadly when the time does come, when I get too feeble minded.. she will be the one who fills the shoes of responsibly.  Oh, don’t get the idea that it is all wine and roses..  lol.  As she does not shy away from telling me that she has a different opinion.. than mine… and politics is a hard subject for us to navigate sometimes.. when the true of the matter, we are pretty close to the same  page, just we look at it differently.   Of which I would stand up with her to tell anyone that she is entitled to her opinion and I will defend her.  Even if it is not same as mine. 

I have raise all of my children to be independent. To stand tall for what they believe…  even it is not my thinking..   especially that, I did not raise them to be come  “little me” .. I want them all to be different..  to do what is good for them..  Only request I have is for them to work hard, to be honest,  to tell the truth..   3 of the hardest things to be.. but I raised them to be that.  7 out of 8 isn’t bad… lol.

As the saying goes…. I love them to the moon and back. And proud of them being who they are.