The First Year

Although this post really has nothing to do with the regular topics on this blog, it's an important thing in my life right now, so I thought I would share...

On November 2, it started with a phone call, a rush to the hospital, tears, grief, and a funeral. Work, friends, pain, love, the first Thanksgiving, the first Christmas, a new year, moving,and more work, followed. The first Father's day, the first wedding, the first anniversary...

Before I knew it, it had been a year, an incredibly long, fast one. People say that words cannot express, and that's so true. That morning a year ago is so incredibly clear in my memory, yet it was only the beginning. I could sit here all day, trying to find the words to say, but what I keep thinking about are the words "Por Siempre Dios es fiel." Forever God is faithful. Through the first year, He has been faithful. He will be through the second and the third and forever.

You may remember that last year, on November 1st, I began a novel. Here is my dedication from that novel. It sums is up best.

When I started writing this novel, it was for a contest, one that would last a month. Each day, I would have to write almost two-thousand words to complete my goal. On the first day I reached my goal. On the second day, my grandpa died. My world was rocked at the loss of Grandpa Donnie. Never had I felt the grief and pain or dealt with the questions that I did at that time. For six days I wrote nothing. I couldn’t. My grandpa was not just a good grandpa, but he was an amazing person, one that was faithful in serving God. He was a great example in his life, and in his death of how to trust in God.

I decided to give up the contest and the novel. There was no way I could catch up. I was 12,000 words behind my goal, but my now husband encouraged me, telling me that I could do it. He and Grandpa are the reasons I kept writing. I knew that Grandpa would have encouraged me in the same way, for he wouldn’t have wanted me to give up on something, especially something that I loved. Most importantly, the novel became something that God called me to finish. Grandpa was obedient and faithful to God, and he would want me to be the same.

So, I dedicate this book to Grandpa Donnie. Even though I still love and miss him so much, I could never wish him back, because he’s home.