Ode to my In - Loves

I can't take credit for that name … a family at the church I went to growing up called all their in-laws, in-loves instead.  It fits.  You want to know when I was sold on CR being the man God had for me?  After spending a hilarious evening at dinner with his parents.  We had gone to dinner many-a-times by this point.  I had even spent a few different weekends down on their farm already.  But this one instance at dinner and I was like, "yup, I hear you Lord."  And it is by no coincidence that it was the same night that I had tried so hard to run away from the man God intended me to marry; that is another story in and of itself.

CR had picked me up and we headed to meet his parents at Cheddar's.  I think we ate at Cheddar's three times a week while dating!  Back on track … so apparently there was a really great football game on TV on this night … something like the game with the Bush Push.  For any of you Reggie Bush followers you will know the exact game.  Anyhow, BIG game, and Ray was really interested in it.  At Cheddar's they sat us where he could just see part of the TV in the bar, but not enough to really watch the game.  Salads come and we pray.  We all eat our salads and Ray about jumps out of his seat to see the excitement of a play.  The waiter comes and takes away our salad plates.  Ray comes back and asks Kitty, "Where is my salad?"  She replies, "Well Ray, we sent it away, you were done."  Ray, "Done?  I was not done!  When have I ever left a single bite of food left on my plate?"  She replies some smart remark that I can not for the life of me remember and he clinches his fist and says, "Woman, I will knock your teeth out."

I sense some confusion from my readers.  I hear you saying, "Why did this incident seal the deal for you?  How do you see the Lord in this?"  Well you see, I saw true love.  Because people that can't stand each other or have issues with endearment try to hide that.  They can put on a show that would fool anyone.  Not this family; there was deep roots of love.  You get what you see.  No gimmicks.  No pretty shows.  Sometimes it is beautiful and sometimes it is ugly, but it is always love.  I recall Kitty saying (about 2 months before our wedding) "Well at least she isn't getting into the family blind folded."  Love.  It is what I felt from the minute I very first took a step in their house in 2004 and turned down a cup of coffee at 5 pm after a 6 hour drive to meet them.  I learned quickly farmers drink coffee until they go to bed; something I have actually taken on too - except I can't have it past about 3.

My mother and father in-law are some special people.  I can not even begin to tell you in how many ways they have surpassed anything I could ever imagine in my "husband's parents".  Kitty wired our entire house when we built.  Yes, you heard me correctly.  She knows how to fix everything.  If she doesn't, she will learn how in about 5 minutes.  She loves me like her own, or at least she makes me feel that way.  She is always there when I need a "cup of sugar" (more like evaporated milk).  She helps us out with the kids more times than we can count.  Since having Patton, it has gotten much harder to run to the grocery store or just take Kirby to the doctor.  You see, where we shop and where we doctor is about an hour away.  Inevitably, that messes with his naps, so where does he get to nap while I take care of what has to get done?  You guessed it!  Granny's house!   Kitty is always there when there is a gap between when CR can get home and when I need to run off to a shoot, too.  No matter what, she always helps if she can.  She has taught me how to make many of items homemade, too, with the latest being yogurt.  And it is phenomenal.  I just had some tonight while writing this post.

Ray keeps me on my toes.  He is giddy, outgoing and most of the time a little (or big) bundle of joy.  He greets our mornings when he walks in our back door around 7:30 on most mornings.  Honestly, when he doesn't come up and rustle our feathers, I kind of miss it.  My day seems not started.  Kirby has the blessing of him taking her most Mondays and Wednesdays to MDO.  The time she has to go is right at Patton's morning nap time, so Ray usually finds a reason to take her … you know, back to us living Far, Far Away from things, he can usually go to the cleaners, feed some cows we have on a friends place, go visit the church staff, check on some pigs, pick up some feed, and oh ya, take Kirby to school all in a good mornings' work.  Ray would give his left foot for me, I know.  I am a big time daddy's girl.  Big time.  Always have been and pretty sure that is not changing.  His big bear hugs help me get through when I am missing the hugs from my daddy.  There are also times when he slaps me back in to reality (as much as I hate to admit that).  Sometimes I forget where I live and why we do what we do … he never misses a beat at gently showing me the farmers way.  And he is a wonderful leader in the Lord for the Patrick family.  That is by far the most admirable thing about him.  You always know he is going to listen to the word and apply it the best way possible for his family.

I was blessed when I married CR.  He is an amazing man, no doubt.  That is all to the glory of God.  And parents who yielded their family to His direction.  I was blessed beyond measure when I got the whole package deal.

My father-in-love invented The Selfie

He spoils her rotten with treats like peanuts and ice cream cones.

And plays doctor with her whenever you wants.

And Granny, too.  Kirby loves to check Granny's heartbeat.  And tells her, "Take a deep breath."

My children do not know how blessed they are to have 2 such giving, loving, and hospitable people as grandparent's only 1/2 mile up the road.  I hope they know how much they are loved.  

"One man from each tribe, each of them the head of his family, is to help you." Numbers 1:5