I often find myself missing my Dad so very much. The sadness still comes along, but the joy in the memories I have of him is so dear, that it gently pushes aside the sadness. I keep with me always, all the wonderful memories and the way he helped to shape my character, morals, and all that I am today!
I love you and miss you dearly Dad!
Yesterday, after picking up the kids from school, we made an unexpected stop at the grocery store, so I can pick up some ingredients for Jojo's spaghetti that he's been asking me to cook.
As we were entering the store, and old lady was walking slowly in front of us. I made no attempt to go pass her and just waited patiently for her to walk in the pace she was comfortable in. After a few minutes, she turned around and said, "Thank you for being patient with me. It's hard getting old! It's especially harder now that my husband is not with me anymore. He passed away last month." As she told me her story about how much she missed her husband of 55 years, tears began to roll down her eyes! My instinct told me to give her a hug as a way to console her grieving heart! She thanked me for listening to her and said that "...God must have sent you to give me this hug! Thank you for listening to me!"😢
Sometimes we forget to slow down in life to even notice if others are hurting. I'm thankful God reminded me to slow down and show my compassion to others in need!
 I can thank 2013 for the good health and safe protection that was given to my children Brianna and Joseph, my husband Jose, and everyone in our family. I am thankful for all the memories made and most of all, I am also thankful for my new nephew and birthday buddy Noah. Despite being thankful for all the good memories that 2013 has brought, I am relieved to also say goodbye to the year 2013, for it has given me and my family this intense pain and grief of losing my father! For now I guess it's going to have to have to hurt. I'm going to have to let go of some things I loved, in order to get to the other side...sometimes moving on starts with goodbye! Although 2013 left me with another scar in my heart, it has also taught me how to be stronger again! As the New Year begins, I continue to thank the Lord for all the blessings and trials and pray that the new year will be a year filled with peace, love, happiness, and abundance of joy for all of us! Goodbye 2013 and Hello 2014!  | ||||
They say time flies when your having fun! Yesterday, while shopping for groceries, Brianna found a box full of giant stuff animals! She immediately began rummaging through, trying to find her favorite animals...dinosaurs, wolves, and alligators!
As she digs through the pile, I couldn't help but watch my pre-teen enjoy herself. Her child-like mentality was still so innocent! Then I began to realize that she is growing up right before my eyes. It seemed like only yesterday, when I vividly recall a little baby girl barely learning how to walk and talk, and now all of a sudden, here she is, growing up to be a young lady. Where did the time go? Before I know it, she'll be going to high school, and then college. I wanted to so desperately slow time down, and just cherish this moment...watching her still act like a child, with no cares in the world.
From a distance, I can hear her laughing as she piles her favorite ones on top of her. Then I hear her sweet voice say, "Mom...can I take them home with us?" We laugh and at that moment, this was an image and memory I wanted to capture forever...I snapped the picture not only in my memory, but also in digital, so that one day, when she is much older, we can reminisce on the fun we have.
After taking the picture, I am slowly pulled back into reality and realize that it was time to finish what we came there to do, and that playtime was now over. Hopefully, it won't be too long, until we have another moments like this!
Brianna, please don't grow up too fast! Your dad and I still want to enjoy watching you grow! :)
"This Is My Now: Live-Laugh-Love", has become the place where I often share some of my most intimate thoughts. A place where memories and adventures are shared and a place where smiles of laughter and tears of pain often fall as I write...yet healing happens with every drop. It is through the eyes of my children, and the short life of a baby boy, born sleeping in the arms of God, that I have learned so much about our Creator and His love for us. May all who visit and read about how He continues to be my source of strength, be drawn closer to God through our stories. I am thankful that even for just a brief moment, I was blessedto hold in my arms a little angel from Heaven.
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This Is My Now: Live-Laugh-Love Copyright © 2007 This Is My Now: Live-Laugh-Love by Anna-Lizza
