Love Conquers All

I promised a happy post about Thanksgiving weekend, so here it is:

At the last minute, we decided to go to Idaho to see my parents and brother Alex.  I haven't seen my mom since she had her car accident in September, and I felt like I needed to.  The roads were TERRIBLE both there and back, but Gordon is awesome at driving in the snow and ice, so we made it there safely.

It was so good to visit for a few days with my folks.  They are great people, and  are so good to me.  It was also awesome to spend Saturday with my grandparents and a few of my brothers and sisters.  We had so much fun just hanging out.  All of the cousins played so well together...it was a blast.  I wish we could do it more often.

Friday night we took my parents and Alex out to dinner at Applebee's.  I had some pasta with alfredo sauce, and (of course) it made my stomach upset.  I was up several times during the night.  One of the times I was up I heard my dad talking in their bedroom (this was around 2 a.m.)  I couldn't make out exactly what he was saying, but it almost sounded like a prayer.  I got up again a little while later and he was still talking.  At this point, I was pretty impressed with the length of his prayer. :)

In the morning, my mom asked me if I was okay, as she heard me get up several times.  I asked her what dad was talking about in the middle of the night, and she told me that he reads to her when she wakes up in pain.  She said it helps take her mind off the pain.

I was so touched by this.  My parents have been married for 38 years and my dad still loves my mom enough to read to her and help her in the middle of the night.  This exemplified true love to me.

It's funny how sometimes it takes a trial to realize how much you need your spouse.  Gordon has been the most incredible husband the past year.  He has cleaned up my vomit, held my hand when I was hurting, been my advocate with doctors, and has comforted me when I didn't think I could go on.  In our 19 years of marriage, I've never loved him more.

As much as this past year has been one of the worst I've had, it's also been one of many blessings.  We have been blessed in so many ways, and I am grateful to my Heavenly Father for them.