By Dede Haas
Feb. 14- 2003
One of my
Christmas gifts this past year, (2002),
from my wonderful hubby, was a book
called *Chicken Soup For The Couples
Soul*. He wrote on the inside cover, “A
wonderful year in spite of all we went
through, because we still have each
other. All My Love, Dick.
How I cherish the many memories he has
given me!
When we tied
the knot on March 8-1971, we knew there
would be many ups and downs as this was
a second marriage for both of us.
Believe me, we had our fair share of
both the ups and the downs, but I think
what really counts is your perspective
or attitude on things. We both try to
stay very positive and let the Lord lead
us.
We think of the question, “Is your cup
half full or half empty?”
We prefer to think of ours as running
over the top, most times!
Luciano de
Crescenzo once wrote: “We are, each of
us angels with only one wing, and we can
fly only by embracing the other.” Dick
and I have always felt this way
completely. Marriage is a commitment of
two people, two people truly committed
to the other, always thinking of the
others needs first. It will truly be
tough one day when God takes one home,
and there is one left to grieve the
great loss that will be felt. May God be
there to sustain the one left behind.
I was truly in
love with my man the very first time I
ever laid eyes on him. *Yes, love at
first sight!* Dick says “That was
before I started needing to wear
glasses.” His wonderful sense of humor
was reacting again. His sense of humor
has delighted young and old over the
years.
Many of our foster children’s counselors
have loved coming to our home just to
hear that wonderful joking humor of his.
He is always kidding with the children
and most times they don’t even get his
jokes and I will have to explain them
later. God truly has warmed many lives
by allowing them to come in contact with
this wonderful hubby of mine. I feel so
truly blessed to see people laugh and
smile when he starts telling them his
on-going jokes.
Since our
marriage, we have only been apart a few
times and then only for family needs or
emergencies. Otherwise we basically have
pretty much been together 24/7 and after
a few years would not know what to do
without the other one by our side. Most
of our marriage, everything we ever
desired to do, was together. We are
truly soul-mates, a real team and we
both love it. We have gotten to the part
in our life where we can finish each
others sentences. Good thing we didn’t
start looking like one another. Dick
didn’t have enough hair to suit me and I
had way too much hair for him…..
Couldn’t you just see me with his hair
and him with mine? That would sure be a
scream!
We have this
habit of leaving little love notes all
over our home for the other one. What a
pleasant surprise when one is
unexpectedly found.
We also play the ~SHMILY~ game. SHMILY
can be found all over our home. We write
it on little pieces of paper, in the
dust, wherever we can, actually. It is
an instant love note for the other.
(See How Much I love You!)
I remember
writing memory letters to each other a
few years back and one of Dick’s
comments to me was: “A walk down memory
lane with you is like a run down a busy
highway” He meant that in the sweetest
way. My sweet hubby has always been a
definite procrastinator even from the
very beginning and when I learned to
love him just that way, things got even
better, if that was possible.
I have always been very active and like
to get things done and my sweet hubby is
so laid back, it has turned out to be
another blessing.
We probably tell
one another *I Love You*, 10-20 times a
day. If either of us has to leave the
home to run an errand, we never leave
without out an embrace and kiss. We
always wanted the other to know how much
we loved them and that we would be back
by a certain time so the other wouldn’t
worry. Going to bed angry was never an
option. Life is too short to stay angry
at someone you love so very much.
I was pretty
immature, even at the age of 29 when
Dick & I married. He has taught me so
many wonderful things as we matured
together. He always said, he lived by
two thoughts:
Live and let live! and If you can’t say
anything nice - Don’t say anything at
all!
So many love and respect him for the way
he thinks!
Leo Buscaglia wrote:
“What love we’ve given, we’ll have
forever.
What love we fail to give, will be lost
for an eternity.”
Neither of us has ever felt a loss of
love from the other.
Each time Dick passes my computer, he
will touch me and gently kiss me and say
*I Love You, Baby.*
I am one lucky
woman!
We both believe the more love you give,
the more comes back to you!
We both believe in total, unconditional
love. You have to love your mate, faults
and all, if your marriage is going to
work.
(For Better or For Worse) That was in
our vows to each other!
When we both
decided to take on a third party in our
marriage, we became even happier. Then
and only then were we absolutely
positive our marriage was truly a
forever thing.
Without God as the leader of our home I
am sure there would have been many times
when we would have just given up and
thrown in the towel. With God as our
guide, came so much more to look forward
to daily. Our daily Bible readings, our
praying together, our watching our
Sunday evening church program together.
It was hard not being able to go to our
church in our community, but it was not
an option when Dick’s health got so bad
and we had to make the decision that we
needed to protect him from germs and
infections. We were fortunate to have a
wonderful pastor from our home church
who would come to our home and give us
*Holy Communion*, when ever we requested
it.
We have always been so thankful for our
Dear Pastor.
Love is just
not something between a man and a woman,
( a husband and his wife), it should
incorporate your whole family, your
friends, and even acquaintances. God
intended for us to love all people, no
matter what their race or circumstances.
His Words are, *Love One Another As I
Have Loved You!*
Please Always
Remember My Darling, Till Death Do Us
Part, But You Will Still Be In My Heart!
(Wherever You
Are ~I Am There Also)
Beethoven
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