Recognition

Today was the day in church where the high school seniors get recognized.

It's a wonderful way to congratulate the graduating seniors.

As each seniors' name is called out, they & their parents head up to the front of the congregation.

At that point, each parent has the opportunity to speak about their child and the senior is able to tell everyone their future plans.

Because the girls are little, I haven't worried too much about this day.  I just enjoy seeing the graduates.

This year, my niece K is graduating.  So, I knew it would be extra special to see her recognized.

Then my Sissy called me Friday night with a request.

Sissys' hubby had had some surgery on Friday.  She quickly realized that she would not be able to leave him alone to go to church on Sunday.

So, now not only would K's dad not be able to make it, but Sissy would not be able to make it either.

Sissy asked me if I would stand up with K.  I told her, of course.

She also told me that my nephew J would be standing up with K too.

Fast forward to today.

We get to church and I see J.  He tells me that has something that Sissy has typed up and did I want to read it.  I said yes and then off we both went to Sunday school.

And then I read what Sissy had written and I cried.

I said to Hubby, "I don't think I can read this."  So he read it.  And he asked me, "Does your sister hate you?"  Joking, of course.

See, what Sissy had written was such a sweet story about K.  And something she had done with her Grampa(my bil's father).

Here is what she wrote:
"For years, my father in law would sing a song, "You Are My Sunshine" to my mother in law.  At family reunions he would sit her in the middle of the group, get down on one knee, hold her hand, and sing to her.  All of us kids and the grandkids loved watching him do this for her.


Fast forward a few years and my father in law is at the end of his battle with Alzheimer's.


When the time came for him to go into a nursing home, Mom & I went out to get Dad some slippers and a robe and a couple other things he was going to need.  We didn't know it, but while we were gone, K sat in Grampas' room and kept him company.  He didn't like to be alone.


When we got home, Mom went right into the bedroom to see Dad.  As soon as she got in the room, K and Dad looked at each other and K began to sing.


For the next few minutes, K was Dads' voice while she sang "You Are My Sunshine" to Mom.  Dad sang a word or two when he could - by then he had pretty much lost all his speech.


Mom just stared at Dad, smiling.  And he was smiling back.


I was never more proud of K than I was at that moment."


See, why I cried?

I know this story.  Have heard it many times.  And every time it makes me cry.

Sissys' in-laws have been an important part of my life.  My girls even call Sissys' mother in law, Gramma.

K is such a sweet girl(and now young woman) with a sweet heart.

And I couldn't have been more happy or proud to stand up with her today.

potd #153.  Hubby worked on laying out the border stone in the garden today.  And continuing to spread the stone.  Almost done.  Now we just have to tackle the bazillion other projects that we are trying to get done in June.