Saturday, July 21, 2012

Family: the only thing that matters in this life. There was a lot of love in that room today.


I work as a C.N.A. (Certified Nurses Assistant) I have worked with the Elderly, middle aged, and some unforgettable children. I absolutely LOVE my job and wouldn't want to be doing anything else right now. Especially after today.
     Right now I work at an assisted living center and have been working there close to 8 months now. I can't express to any of you out there how much I love each one of my residents. Each resident is like a child to me; I feed them, Clean up after them, dress them, have patience with them, argue with them, and most importantly, I love them with all of my heart. And trust me. My job requires A LOT of love.
    Each of my residents has their own story. They once lived their own lives without assistance, pain, or confusion. One of my favorite things about my job is getting to know about each of the residents' lives. Not just how they like their shower or what time they like to go to bed; I love getting to know who they were before they became in need of my assistance. Some were professional painters, some have a twin, and some were doctors, chemistry teachers, or army veterans. Some never married, some have 12 children, and some have incredible love stories. And that is what I want to talk about today. A love story of two inspiring residents.
    Chuck and Mary.
             Many many years ago in Argentina, Chuck M. was serving a church mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. A two year commitment. Mary M. (a Native to Argentina) was also serving a church mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Argentina. But Mary wasn't called on this mission; she was strictly a volunteer in her community. Chuck and Mary were both serving in the same area when they met.
      "Mary was such an inspiring great missionary, she reached out to people that I thought were unreachable." Said Chuck with a Love in his eyes I only hope to see in my future husband someday.
     Since Chuck was on his mission, although never a struggle (due to Chuck's shy personality) girls were off limits (and that included Mary). When Chuck was transferred to different areas he and Mary only kept in contact through letters. They wrote each other as very best friends supporting each other through what I am sure seemed like a great distance.
    After the two years was up, Chuck was on his way home. His first stop was Panama where he had to stay, work, and save up enough money to get home. Chuck soon found out that his mother had passed away and that his father had moved and had nowhere for Chuck to come home to in America, so Chuck's boss suggested that he stayed and worked in Panama. So he did, all the while receiving letters from his Best friend, Mary. One day he received one of these special letters. And little did he know it would change his life forever. 
    In this letter Mary expressed her love for Chuck, not only in a romantic way but most importantly as his loyal and most treasured best friend. She told him that she had prayed long and hard about them getting married and received a most sacred answer: that she was to marry Chuck for time and all eternity. She asked him to pray long and hard about it as well. He did. Chuck told me that he didn't receive an answer as profound as Mary had. But he trusted Mary's Judgment and prayers and accepted her proposal. But this marriage was going to take dedication. First of all, He had to get Mary to Panama. And this was not an easy nor was it a cheap task. After months of working and saving his money, he finally saved enough money to get Mary to Panama. They got married fast and only had days to get to know each other. There love grew for each other day by day. If Chuck didn't have a for sure answer about marrying Mary at first, he sure did now. They eventually came to America and started their inspiring lives. Mary started a Crochet/Knitting business called Crochenit. She and Chuck traveled teaching 3rd world countries how to crochet and spreading all sorts of goodness.
    Right now Chuck and Mary are still in love but the circumstances are quite different. Chuck is taking the last breaths that he will ever take in this life and he is about to leave Mary to finish her journey here on earth while he finishes his journey and returns home to our beloved Heavenly Father. Mary is lovingly holding Chucks hand for as long as she can. She has an eternal love in her eyes that we hope, by the time we are 90+ years old we still have in our eyes sitting next to our eternal companion.
            Today, this love did not just stop at Chuck and Mary. It was COMPLETELY contagious as endless family members gathered around Chuck’s hospital bed not just for a quick visit, but for hours. They stayed through the night and all day long and to this minute are still there. They eat takeout, sleep on the floors in the closet and on the couches, and NEVER complained about being bored. They have loved and cherished every minute they can spend with this amazing couple.
            Because my curiosity always gets the best of me I asked one of the family members: “Why stay? Isn’t this hard to watch?” and he gave me the most perfect reply: “Yes. It is incredibly hard to watch. But Chuck would without a doubt be in the same place for us. And Family is the most important thing in this life. These are the moments that truly make us realize that.”  I will always remember this reply, as long as I live.
            That moment, that statement, has shifted my perspective and changed my life, for the better. Forever.
            My only hope is that it will Change yours. Whoever you are. Family is THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN THIS LIFE. So if your family needs you for anything, even if it is simply your presence in a time of great trial, Go and be with them. Give them a hug, tell them how much you love them. Families are forever and that is all that matters.
     

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Siblings: I love them...now :) and Happy 22nd





     I remember when my siblings and I were younger...(I have a younger sister-15 and an older brother-22) I remember how we used to fight every other day about the typical things that siblings fight about; doing the dishes, who's turn it was to sweep the floor, who gets to sit in the front seat, who's turn it is to switch out the laundry, and countless other things. Every fight would usually end up with us screaming things like "I hate you!" or "you're stupid!!" and my favorite, "I am never going to talk to you ever again!!" My mom always told us that we would get along better when  we were older, but of course, I never believed her.
     The sibling that I clashed with the most was my brother. I of course played the tattle tale role and he played the annoying teasing older brother role (Believe me, we played our roles very well.) I look back at all of the times I tattled on him for silly things and the times in high school when I told him that he needed to stop yelling at my parents and to just listen to them. When a few years down the road I was having the exact same arguments with them and I was always thinking "geez...now i get what he was so upset about."
     My brother served a very righteous faithful mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Columbus, Ohio. He was gone for 2 very long years. I regret to say that I was so happy when he left, about 2 weeks after he left I turned into a train wreck. I missed him like CRAZY. And that exact moment was when the count down started. I wrote him almost every week for two years and he faithfully wrote me back when he could. I realized how much I truly loved my brother, and how much I cherished the moments we had spent together.
    Some of my favorite memories with my brother were spent playing tennis on those early summer mornings, playing with our dogs, riding the "big" rides together at Disney land or world, and thinking of ways to get my little sister to ask my parents something we knew they never let us do if we asked ourselves.  During the two years that he was gone I constantly looked back on those moments and apologized for the moments when we fought. I learned that you never truly miss someone until they aren't with you anymore.
   On the 16 of July my brother will be 22 years old. I can't believe that I really just typed the number 22... I still feel like I am 12 and he is 15. Now we are trying to act like grown ups, working, going to college, and buying groceries. Time has gone buy way to fast and I am starting to realize that the only way to get it back is through those precious memories and pictures that we so often take advantage of.
    This past week my brother came to see me and I took him out to dinner at his favorite restaurant: Texas Road House. It wasn't the present that I wanted to give him but he understood that we are two very poor college students so of course we made it in time for the early bird special. He introduced me to the famous "chicken critters" and they were incredibly delicious so we decided that next time we went there, we would share one and split the sides. (genius idea that I wish we would have thought of  earlier.) And of course I told our awesome waitress that it was my brothers birthday so at the top of her sweet Italian voice she yelled to everyone that this lucky kid was turning 22. 
    I guess my point to this great long story is that whether we like it or not, it is time to grow up. And it is time forgive those that are closest to us. It is time to follow the council of the beloved Prophet President Thomas S. Monson "If there are disagreements or contentions among you, I urge you to settle them now."It is time to realize that family is the MOST IMPORTANT gift and responsibility. It is time to turn those memories of disagreements or misunderstandings into "Something to Laugh About"
   Now turn off your computer and go hug and kiss your whole family.
oh and P.S. HAPPY 22nd ZACH! I love you more than anything! don't do anything I wouldn't do! ;) and if you do...call me and tell me all about it.

  
My Gorgeous Best Girl Friend and Sister
My incredible inspiring Daddy
My Loving Best Friend and Brother
My beautiful amazing mother