Mike - he was my husband, my best friend and the love of my life. We did just about everything together. If he played golf on Saturday morning he'd play in the first or second group so he'd be back mid-morning to run our errands with me. We'd even go to doctor appointments together if our schedule allowed. We liked the same types of movies, sports and music. And I was so lucky that Mike loved to dance - I can't imagine dancing with someone else. Mike was brought up to treat a woman like a lady and he did that to me in aces. Opening the car door for me wasn't a big deal, but he always opened building doors for me, made sure he was on the outside/traffic side of me when we were walking, would drop me off at doors in bad weather and park the car, help me with my coat, etc. He took care of me. We never referred to each other as my "old lady" or "old man" - we thought those were horrid descriptions to call your spouse. And when we'd go out somewhere he'd tell me he was with the prettiest girl in the room - and even though I knew it wasn't true - I knew in his heart it was for him.
Mike was the bravest man I've ever known after his cancer reoccurred to keep working until his last two months - and even then he tried to work. There were days he was in so much pain but he'd go to work and he didn't have a desk job - he was out in his City truck, each day, most of the day, in all weather, in all buildings and on top of buildings making sure things were working right. And when he had to take his radiation treatments in September '10 he'd take them on his lunch hour and go back to work.
While I've said it many times, I miss Mike every day but I don't mourn him. I know he's in Heaven and not in pain any longer - and I'll see him again someday. And he can show me around and introduce me to lots of people he's met up there.
I received a letter from Hospice today letting me know they are thinking of me on the one year anniversary of Mike's death. They wrote, "As you review the year, you may notice many ways you've grown, as well as challenges you are still trying to meet." That says it pretty well - and I thought it was very nice of their Bereavement area to send a letter like this.
It's been quite a year from finding out our homeowner's insurance was only at 70% replacement value, to getting Mike's truck and motorcycle titles in my name, to learning how to run a snow blower - that was lot right there. I also learned how to use a saws-all and kept all my fingers.
But I was blessed to sell my father-in-law's trailer in Ridgeway, MO so quickly and easily once I decided it was time to sell it. The trailer wasn't much and neither is Ridgeway when it comes to being a hot bed for real estate. God brought the right buyer my way at the right time.
Some of the biggies this year was the drama of what happened with my right hand - they never did figure out what I had only that it was contagious and ugly.
This started as a little red spot on a Friday afternoon before my birthday, by Monday it was one huge "blister" and on Wednesday one of the docs where I go opened it up to take all the dead skin off it. It was an open sore for a while and then I got a rash as a reaction to one of the antibiotics I took for this thing - then reacted to the Prednisone I had to take for the rash. Not a fun time. And one night I looked at this hole in my hand and thought it might have been as large as the nail hole in Jesus' hand/wrist when He hung on the cross but my hole was only a few layers thick. His hole went all the way through His hand - talk about bringing a point home to me - wow. The hole healed nicely and if you look at my hand you can see a slight scar.
Then there were the snakes in the yard - mainly the back yard. And the one time the owner of this skin aka the mother snake - ended up on the enclosed back porch. I just don't like snakes but like I said to God last year as long as God lets me see them before I mow over them so I can get them to get out of my way I'm ok. And I really don't mind when they are as thin as a pencil - it's when they get this size they gross me out and I was not pleased to see this skin in my back yard but I'd rather see the skin than the real thing.
Yes it's been an interesting year especially now with me quitting my job - but I have two interviews in the next few days! I'm continuing to find out I'm capable of doing lots of things I wouldn't have thought possible. And while I'm not sure what the future holds - God knows and we're a partnership until the end. God blessed me with giving me Mike and us 26 years together and He continues to bless me every day.
