Part of my writing journey has been to count my blessings, to focus on the things I’m thankful for rather than the things that are going wrong in my life. Not only does this heal my soul, but it has also helped me become a person who can see joy in everything. It has helped me become a person who is thankful for people in my life that I never would have been thankful for before. Not that these people don’t deserve thanks, but I would have missed how amazing they were because I would have been concentrating on my problems.
Two people that truly deserve my thanks are Dennis and Lori. Dennis is my daughter Nicole’s father, and Lori is his wife. There were days, years really, that I would not have been able to say that I was thankful for Dennis. As Nicole grew up and Dennis became an active part of her life, I was thankful that she had a relationship with her father, but it was truly based only on my daughter’s needs.
After Dennis and Lori met and married, we developed a cordial relationship. I instantly liked Lori, which made me respect Dennis for choosing to marry such a great person. She’s someone I could be best friends with, if we were geographically closer.
Even though I genuinely like Dennis and Lori for the wonderful people they are, what prompts me to write about them as blessings is how they have been taking care of my daughters. Dennis taking care of Nicole is understandable; he’s her father. However, he has helped Nicole pursue her dreams in the film industry and included her in his writing projects, getting her name in front of influential people. Lori loving Nicole, her step-daughter, is commendable; it is not easy being a step-mother; it is not easy to be patient with another woman’s child, but she has welcomed Nicole into her home and developed a strong bond with her. If that isn’t enough, Dennis and Lori have done the same for Carol Linn who only shares blood with Nicole, but has now become part of their family. Now, that goes beyond any expectations.
It has been hard for me to have my girls on the other side of the country. I can’t just get in the car and go visit them. I can’t take care of them anymore, not that they need me mothering them, but there are things I could be doing for them, but I’m not the one they turn to. They aren’t coming to my house to do laundry; they go to Dennis and Lori’s for that. Their family dinners don’t include me; they laugh and break bread with Dennis and Lori. If their car breaks down, it’s Dennis they call. If they need advice, Lori is there for them.
As painful as it’s been not to be with my girls, I am so blessed that they have Dennis and Lori to fill that space in their lives. I know Nicole and Carol Linn are being taken care of; I know they are loved. My heart still hurts, but Dennis and Lori are the balm that blesses my soul.
Thank you, Dennis and Lori, for being a blessing in my life.
Home 
WOW!!! I am only now sitting down to check my facebook. This makes me cry! Thank you for such kind words. I am so happy to know you feel that way, especially about Dennis. I know things were not always so comfortable between you. I am glad our families have turned from two individual units to one large family. What defines a family anyway? It is simply people who love and look out for each other! That’s us (-:
Let us know the next time the boys want to meet up on Club Penquin.
Lori
I’m glad you liked it Lori! I’m thrilled that we have become one big family. Your big, generous heart blesses my soul!