Day 18 - Thankful for My In Laws

I have such great in-laws. They took me into their family and love me as one of their own.

A few months before our marriage Dad Mitchell took me around looking for houses in the Midwest City area. Alan was working so he went with me to make sure I didn’t get lost. It was just the two of us that day and he was so sweet. He told me.... this part of town might not be so safe...this school is a good one... this one is closer to church and grocery shopping. I had my very own tour guide of the Mid-Del area and it was interesting to hear the stories behind the different neighborhoods we toured. It was during this drive around town that he suggested I should take the OPM test for a possible job on base (I now have 26+ years of civil service under my belt because of this sage advice). Dad M was the best at comforting a baby with colic. Our youngest son had what I thought was a bad case of colic and I was at my wits end, so I took both boys over to Mom and Dad M’s house. Dad took the baby and a warm - hot water bottle and held him and rocked him and soothed him. And gave me a much needed break! Years later we spent many a summer weekend at the lake and Dad was always so patient with the boys as they learned to water ski or build a fire. He helped Alan work on cars when we needed to watch our budget, offered to hang the mini blinds in our new house because he wanted to help out, he was always eager to go watch our boys play sports and so very patient with them when they were rough housing around in their back yard.

Mom Mitchell is really special too. She has shared treasured family recipes with me, taught me to cook many of Alan’s favorites. She always tries to get just the perfect gift for special occasions and holidays for our children. She made special quilts for both our boys. She set a good Christian example in their early years and she took them to church on Wednesday evening activities (I was working Swing Shift and Alan was working and going to school). She too was always interested in the boys activities and with schedule in hand would be at every game possible from grade school through high school for two boys that between them played football, basketball and baseball... that is a whole lot of sporting events!! She shared family pictures with me and helped me with many a project over the years. She has stepped in and helped out when I was sick helping to care for my family. Most of all she has treated me like a daughter even though she already had 3 of her own.

Over the years we have moved in with Mom and Dad M a couple of times. The first time was just before moving into married student housing. Our place sold and we couldn’t move in to housing until the beginning of the semester. The 4 of us moved into Alan’s childhood bedroom for 2 months and shared a bathroom with 2 sisters still at home. Mom did everything possible to help make this an easy time for us. Then many years later our house sold before we had found a replacement so once again we moved in to the home on Glenvalley. Our boys were older and Mom and Dad were empty nesters by this time so it was nice for the boys to have that one on one attention/time with their grandparents. Then in the spring of 2009 we moved in with them again.... this time I was at my wits end with the house we were living in and once again we were welcomed with open arms. Looking back all 4 of the Mitchell siblings have moved their families back into the Mitchell home for short periods of time. I think Mom might enjoy some of her privacy back but I know she also gets sad when it comes time for each of us to move on...kind of like going through the empty nest feeling all over again.

This is just a glimpse into some of the reasons I treasure my in-laws. I am so blessed to have them and am thankful for their love, kindness, assistance over the years and for their friendship!

Day 13 - Thankful for my Mother

I am thankful for knowledge, skills and abilities handed down to me from my Mother.

She passed on the love of creating things. She used to paint and I have a few of her pieces and I have dabbled in this area. And she taught me to sew although I must admit I don’t have the level of talent she does.

She gave me the opportunity to take piano lessons, although this did not take, her love of music did.

She passed along her talent and love of flowers. We used to go to Will Rogers Park in the spring and walk through the Rose Gardens, we helped maintain a community flower bed with the Hoe and Hope club and she taught me how to arrange flowers (real and silk). Plus many of her paintings were of nature and flowers.

She passed along her passion for reading. She was a member and officer of the Friends of the Library Club. I had a Library card at a very young age and I got to go to reading club a few afternoons a week in the summer. Give me a good book and a free afternoon and I am set.

She gave me early an exposure to Jesus my Lord and Savior, she made sure I was in Sunday school at a very early age. She taught me Bible versus and Worship songs and passed along her desire to know Him.

She loved to travel and made sure we made our way to the Capitol State steps for a picture. And of course if you know me at all you know I love to travel and have a passion for capturing my travels in pictures.

She is a great cook and she was a good teacher. I was an eager learner and had 3 brothers to sample my wares. From her I learned the love of cooking and entertaining.

She was an involved parent, she was a Bible school teacher, a Girl Scout Leader, Home Room Mother. I was exposed to art, literature, music, camping, cooking, travel, serving the community, I developed a love of faith, family and friends all from observing her and the traits she passed down.

Yes, I am thankful for my Mother!

This is a recent picture...she is a pretty good Grandmother and Great-Grandmother too~