Blessings and Gratitude

First a loving thank you for all the prayers and energy that were offered up for my brother.

He had a very close call, but all is well tonight. A major artery was 100% blocked and a secondary was 98% blocked, but the doc was able to put stints in. My brother Ricky is home tonight and Jordan is happy as can be because his Papa is with him.

I have said many prayers of gratitude today. My family is blessed. I know that families can drive you crazy, make you furious, and push all your buttons........but I also know that I am very fortunate to have a younger brother like mine. We have lived next door to each other, 26 years.

His children have keys to my house, and call me their second mom. His grandchildren say I am their favorite aunt.

Ricky is like so many Americans, he works two jobs so that he can care for his family and keep his bills paid. He is honest and kind, and if he thought you needed it, would give you his last dollar or the shirt off his back. He is the spitting image of our dad. Sometimes as I watch him walk the hill to our house, I think it is my father and my heart skips a beat. (our dad passed away 20 years ago, due to a massive heart attack)

He is a great cook, and loves to give me hell about my cooking. He swears that I gave one of his dogs some of my meat loaf years ago and the dog left and never came back. When Rick and I were remodeling our house a few years back, he came over one Sunday night and found me sitting in the floor, crying.......my stove, and several other appliances had been in the center of the living room for days. I had done ceramic tile, painted walls(inside and out) laid floor tiles and plank floors, I was exhausted and didn't think we would ever get it all done. He sat down on the floor beside, patted me on the back, and told me not to worry, we would get it all done. And we did.

When we were kids, I was in the third grade, he was in the first........I went down to his class room to walk home and some kid was beating him up, so I dragged the kid off him, took the kid over to the water fountain and held his head under the running water and told him I would drown him if he ever bothered my brother again. I know, so much for peace and non-violence.

I guess what I am saying, we have always had each other's backs. So tonight, I am grateful that he is home with his family where he belongs. When he was in the ER yesterday, another family was not so lucky and they lost their loved one.........they are in my thoughts tonight, I hope they have good memories, and friends and family to be there while they grieve. Loss is difficult,

my parents and oldest brother are no longer with us, sometimes I miss them so much, I would do anything to see them. But tonight, I count my blessings and I go to bed with a heart full of gratitude.