I've said thank you & written multiple thank you notes to my in-laws over the years, but tonight I really had a heartfelt "parent" moment with myself and wondered if my children will ever thank Mike & I someday for the things we will do for them along their journey???
I am a passionate person-and with that comes the trait to think with my heart more than my head (most of the time)-and if I am really invested in the relationship...I also speak my mind (sometimes that has been a downfall). I believe if you feel something-you should EXPRESS it.
Bringing me to tonight and my desire to celebrate my appreciation for the people who gave me the love of my life-and all the things they have done to shape the life he & I enjoy together today.
So-Chris & Doug, thank you for:
- All the fantastic homemade meals on most school nights through my senior year of high school.
- The time Papa came with me to wheel & deal on behalf of my first car purchase at 18.
- Offering for to me to live with you to save on rent, when I was working as much as I could to pay for tuition & struggling to make ends meet while I finished junior college. Because of you I graduated on time & went on to earn my Masters Degree. So many times during those early college years I felt stretched past my limit-until you put that wind back in my sails through your support.
- The times Papa drove to multiple car lots with me all over Seattle to find the perfect older Honda Accord I had been wanting. When I finally found it, Papa checked out the different car parts to make sure all was well, and schmoozed with the owners to work a deal on that for me too!
- Buying me new "birthday" tires for my Accord & constantly helping with its maintenance (taking it in to Ron & many times with the bill stamped "paid" before I arrived to pick it up)-The craziest part is these were my college years and Mike & I were not even engaged.
- Your help in putting together, carrying out & paying for 95% of everything for our wedding. A huge undertaking. I can only imagine the combined amount of hours Chris spent searching for various decorative items, sewing table linens & flower-girl dresses, putting together ALL the flower arrangements, creating topiaries that I had my heart set on, all the rental items & friends they enlisted help from to pull off the wedding of my dreams. I cherish all the little details and memories I have from that day. Thanks for making it all possible.
- Offering one of your cars, without hesitation or being asked, for my family to use when they were in town for our wedding, and thus making it possible for them to be mobile and enjoy themselves while they were there.
- the purchase & gift of our newer/bigger Accord....for no reason. That is the first car I've ever been "given"-and I still don't even know WHAT to say! :)
- Financing our past 2 vehicles so that we could pay car payments interest free. That has been a HUGE HUGE HUGE help to us. The gratitude for which I am reminded of every time that payment goes out. We are so grateful.
- the surprise of 4 new tires on our truck when you came to help with the kids 2 weeks ago! I got in the car to run an errand and realized immediately that it drove differently, so I quickly pulled back in at home to check things out and noticed the tires. I ran inside, my heart THUMPING in my chest & squealed to Mike that we had new tires! This was something we had been saving for and had put off until we had enough accumulated-but juggling that bill with the necessary garage/classroom remodel costs was NUTS! Then just like that-there they were on our truck-4 new blessings. THANK YOU!
- the most amazing generosity of calling the hospital after EACH ONE of our babies were born and paying off what was left of the medical bills after insurance was billed. Just as it did then, when I went to make the payment & they told me it was PAID IN FULL, words cannot express how blessed this makes me feel.
- the fact that we have never had to buy a pack of diapers or wipes. A wonderful gift to any new parent! :)
- always being armed with bags of various items/groceries from the Commissary when you visit.
- I can hardly remember a time when Papa hasn't taken the cars & filled them with gas when we've gone over there, or you've come here....and we've noticed on our way out of town right before pulling into the gas station-because Papa doesn't tell you he's done it. :) LOVE that!
- In college when things were really tight-you supplied us on more than a few occasions with a car loaded down in groceries from Mike & Papa hitting up the Commissary.
- Driving in a blizzard over the one mountain pass (not the closest one) that was still open-just to make it to Ellensburg for EmmaLee's 1st birthday.
- helping send us on a family vacation for the past couple years by starting our fund at christmas
There are of course other things that I haven't listed, but now I am faced with a headache and a day of molding 12 young minds in the morning. Time for Tylenol & bed. :) All I can say is that I have learned so much through your example & the kindness you have instilled in my husband-and we will do our best to carry on the same generosity & support to our own children through the years, and hopefully someday they'll know that it is the legacy of their grandparents.
Love Always,
Kristi
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