Family

As I sit (well actually I rarely sit…part of the illness that my dear mother, Gail, passed down to my sisters and me) or clean and reflect on life, I am overwhelmed with emotion. My cup is not only FULL, but it often spews! MORE THAN EVER BEFORE, I am finding this summer that I am “pinching” myself as if to say, “Is this real…could it be THIS good?” My blessings are plentiful, be sure, but one of the most precious to me is my family. First, I had fun, silly, loving, and strict parents who laid a great foundation for me. Yes, life growing up was filled as I have shared in previous blogs with MUCH hardship and hurt, but all in all they still managed to show us the right way (and sometimes we learned it from seeing so much wrong). My mom was known on our block as the “block mom.” She loved us so much and loved being a part of every aspect of our lives. She could tenderly care for us like no other, and truly, it is ONE thing I miss so badly. Dad is silly and fun (along with mom) and loved playing and reading with us when we were young. I can remember him dressing up to come shop at our “store.” My older sister, Karen, is the single most OTHER centered woman on earth. She is SO vested in all that she loves…mainly her husand, Jay, stepson, Van, Kricky, Brad, Dawn, Brittney, Alex, Dylan, Colin, Ethan, Mike, Tod, Craig, Cole, Reeder, our pets:Ransom, Yam-Yam, Lady, Riley and finally, me. She is so intelligent and has set the standard for P.A’s from the day she graduated. Karen’s husband, Jay, is one of my closest friends. He is so funny and fun to be with! His tenderness and peacefulness create an atmosphere of “home” where you feel so comfortable. I love how he loves my sister and our entire family. My younger sister, Kristin, is the single most ACCEPTING woman on earth. She loves. PERIOD. ALL life is precious to her and it is so evident in the way she cares for her cancer patients, and all other living organisms that her life touches. (She did bring home a hurt dying cow once while we lived in Bangladesh BEGGING my mom and dad to let her keep it as her pet!) And the baby, who I tear up just thinking about, is my brother, Brad. Amazing man. The most respectful, honest, family-loving, NO FEAR man I know. He saw the most hardship growing up which makes me BEAM with pride of where and who he is today. Dawn, Brad’s wife, is so refreshing…and beautiful….in a bikini at Disney’s pool after FIVE children~sick!! She is willing to come down in the trenches with you, stay for while, commiserate, and always brings me back to remembering the good. She is a blast to be with and I love most the way in which she loves my brother and my family. In fact I cry just thinking of the way in which she tenderly loved on my mom and dad. Each one gifts me in different ways and they have become “my pillars”. These pillars stand on my foundation ~ the heavenly man I married. He is a holy man who loves God with all of himself and constantly strives to please Him in every aspect of his life. He is peaceful, patient, gentle, one of the smartest men I have ever met (kinda annoying once in a while), and strong. I have four beautiful boys who like my siblings, gift me in four different but wonderful ways. My husband’s family is equally important in my life. My father-in-law, Dick, is an incredible father…in fact he has given so much to me personally. As I entered this huge Pfaffenberger family, he took me under his wing as if I was his own. He makes me feel so loved and is such a soft place to land. My mother–in-law, Kit, is a ROCK. She, too, is so holy and so committed to bringing glory to God in all aspects of her life. She is quiet…yet LEADS this incredible family to The Light daily. She accepts me for who I am, and is always there for me. Paul, Mike’s older brother, is a saint. He is amazing. Quiet, pensive in fact, reflective, talented, nurturing, and one of the most Christ-like men I know. His wife, Maggie, is essential to me. She gets it…all of it. I feel so at home with her and love every single second I get to spend or talk with her. She is the MOST FUN and full of so much life that you CAN NOT walk away from a visit or talk with her without a smile. John, Mike’s younger brother, is hilarious, passionate, determined, and so talented. I admire his “steadfast hold” on the things he believes in. His wife, Kelly, is one of the most leveling friends I have. Her calmness is so welcoming. She gives and looks for areas in her life that she can give more. She is rooted in her faith and allows Christ to shine through her “way.” Katy, Mike’s only sister, is probably one of the most happy-go-lucky people I know. She is radiant when she smiles and is so much fun to be with. We have children in the same stages of life and she has truly been a lifesaver for me. Jack, Katy’s husband, is another amazing man. He is determined, driven, and really just a kid in an adults body! And let me just say this, there is no other MORE FUN guy to go Christmas shopping with! He LOVES it and does the unthinkable to obtain the most sought after “gadgets” for his kiddos! And finally, the baby of the Pfaff’s, Steve, is so much fun to be with. He is comfortable, and someone that anyone would feel safe to open up to. He listens, laughs, and is even willing to shed tears with you. His wife, MaryLou, is probably the NICEST woman I have ever met. She truly looks for the good in everyone and never has an unkind word to say. She lifts people up and I love spending time with her. We share a lost parent pain that has been life giving to me. She also can numb a mouth without you feeling a single twinge of pain better than anyone on the planet. There is no better dentist in the world than Dr. Pfaffenberger! So if you are close to the Carrollton area and need a dentist, go see her!

We are all made in the image of God, and I am so thankful that each time I am with family, I get a chance to see HIM in each one of them. We are all broken in some way, and perhaps that is why God’s light shines through so brightly. Most importantly, we are ALL on the same journey to wholeness.

To all of you mentioned above, I thank you for loving me, and the boys in my life the way that you do. You are the most important and beautiful people in my life. I love each of you more than I could ever effectively express in words.

To God, I thank You for blessing me with this family. Their divinity is a reflection of YOU. I pray that you will continue to guide us on this journey to You, and that you will nurture each of us with exactly what You know we need. Every single good gift I know is from You…and I thank You for gifting me. I love You.