I'm sitting here looking out my office window thinking..I really should be enjoying the beautiful day, instead of sitting in my office! Maybe in a few minutes. I have a lot of random thoughts going through my head today. First, I wonder how my sister and my niece and nephew are doing. Today (or is it tomorrow) their husband and father leaves for a year to go to Kuwait and provide service to our country. For the next two months he is stateside, and then they get to say their final goodbyes for 10 months. Jim's dedication to our country is awe inspiring. I know it is tough for him to leave his family, yet he has such a desire to do what his country asks of him. So even though he will be greatly missed by all in his family, I know that he is doing what he is meant to do, and hopefully the Lord's hand will guide him to make safe decisions and he will come back in a year to lead his family in many more years of happiness. But now, that burden falls on my sister. I am grateful for my religious beliefs and the fact that my sister believes in the same things that I do. No matter what happens they have the promise of an eternal family.
I have another brother-in-law leaving ...this one is leaving Logan. My family will miss the Cox family a lot. It has been great to have lived so close to family the past few years. My son will especially miss his best friend/cousin Truman more than he probably realizes. I know I will and have missed Mike the past few months. I don't have very many male friends that I really can "hang" with so I will miss that. The Cox family has gone through some really difficult financial times, yet their faith is just awe inspiring. I really don't know how they can keep the faith. So now they are headed to Cody, where I hope they can find some prosperity. For the next seven weeks, we will also be the parents of a teenager as their oldest son Cameron will be staying with us to finish school. Hopefully I can keep my hair from turning more gray!
Finally as I conclude my random thoughts, I have to say that I am truly grateful for my family. I love them with all of my heart and soul. As I try to imagine my life without them, I begin to get tears in my eyes. They are what I live for, they are who I am. My wife is probably the most amazing woman that I have ever met. Her love to our children and to me is as close to the pure love of Christ than I can ever imagine. She is pregnant with out 6th and last child. She is my eternal queen, the love of my life. I am so blessed to be part of her life. I don't let her know that often enough.
My children, are precious jewels. They are growing up so fast that I can't even believe it. I know of people who have lost some of their children. When I think of them, I can't help to think how I would be completely in despair without them. I hope that they know just how precious they are to me. As I contemplate the purpose of life, I think of how empty life would be without these family relationships. Even though my kids get older I can almost see in my minds eye, someday me as an old man sitting next to my love, and gathered about by all of children, their children and even some of their children. I can just imagine the emotions I would feel as I see the impact that my decisions had on many generations of my posterity. As I think that, I realize just how important it is to keep faithful and be a man of integrity.
I don't know what the future may hold for me, but I hope that when I am gone, that those who knew me will know me as a man of faith. A man that loved his family, a man that held true to his beliefs and someone who made the world a better place. I hope that I can be that sort of man.
