My Parents, My Heros

The older I get the more I admire and respect my parents for their strength and character and marriage. My mom has been sick for 2 weeks, on complete and utter bedrest. She is miserable to say the least, both physically and mentally. Christmas is her favorite time of the year and she has not been able to enjoy it. She had to cancel her Sunday School Christmas party. She left the Christmas tree decorating to me and P. She has not been able to send out Christmas cards and on the rare occasion she's able to sit up for a few minutes to wrap a gift or two she pays the price the rest of the day. But she maintains as positive as an attitude as possible. I try to call a couple times a day to check in and whenever I ask how she is she says she managing and then proceeds to ask about our life and the boys. In 2 weeks I've rarely heard her complain despite the circumstances. She is a rock. My dad, too, is a rock. His compassionate servant's heart has kept me in awe. During the night he wakes up a couple times to administer my mom's pain meds and check on her. During the day he leaves her for short periods of time to do Christmas shopping or pick up her prescriptions or run necessary errands. He doesn't leave her side for very long, fearful that she'll pass out. At home he tries to keep her spirits up and her pain level down. He does the laundry, answers all the calls of concerned friends and family, tries to get caught up on his work from the home computer, addresses Christmas cards, puts up Christmas lights and wraps presents. He cooks all of the meals and even had to help the neighbor yesterday when he (the neighbor) called, asking my dad to come help him until the ambulance arrived because he was in so much pain. When my parents said their vows over 40 years ago they took them seriously. They both meant, "In sickness and in health, till death do us part." Both of them go through the motions each day, counting down until my mom's surgery on Friday, without complaining. My dad serves her with a cheerful heart and my mom is so appreciative. I can't even count in the past couple weeks how many times my mom has said, "He's my rock. I couldn't have gotten through this without him." Both of my parents continue to amaze me and I am so thankful for the example they set as individuals and as a married couple.