All About the Argyles

I have been dreading the purchase of my father's tombstone for months.  It is sort of the final act for someone you love, you know?  Its hard to sum up a life in one line on granite.  Its hard to pay tribute to someone who made a huge impact on your life in such a final, salutory way.  If I am being honest I have been procrastinating it for 6 months or so.  It has been on my to-do list since October.  Then yesterday for memorial day my uncle's wife posted this on Facebook.  I couldn't believe it!  This is exactly what I had decided to put on his headstone: "Beloved son, brother, father".  I just couldn't bring myself to make the phone call.   It is so fitting.  Because those are the roles he enjoyed most in chronological order.  And he was BELOVED of us, the ones to which he fulfilled those roles.  I could not figure out whether or not I had perhaps filled out the paperwork during those first weeks after my father's passing?  It was all a blur.  After

Today I have been thinking about some of the things that I am so grateful for. I wanted to write them down so I can remember this moment in time. I'm grateful for my husband.  He is the yin to my yang.  he is not perfect.  But neither am I.  We complete each other. I am grateful for each and every one of my kids.  They are as different as can be but I love them exactly the way they are. I am grateful for this beautiful Texas weather.  I need sunshine.  It fills my soul with happiness.There is nothing better than a warm Texas day with the sunroof open.  I have had a lot of those lately. I am grateful for school and for the opportunity to go to graduate school.  I am learning so much.  Some weeks are hard and stressful but I know it is what I am supposed to be doing at this stage of my life and that feels good. I am grateful for good friends.  I am surrounded by them.  I always have been.  They have my back, they help me, they inspire me.  This year has been filled with