Spent a cold day at Lincoln State Park celebrating the parents who gave me my hunka hunka.   I walked Gracie Mae through a wooded area.  While it was peaceful at the moment, I just cannot imagine myself camping here.  Oh heavens no.  Roughing it for me is running out of hot water in my hotel room.  This girl is just not made for camping.  I don’t consider myself a diva, but I am not a camper.  Have I said that already?

I’ve only been camping a couple times in my childhood, both in a tent.  I remember one time it poured and poured all night long.  Sigh.  Other times were so hot, I would get dirt under my nails scratching mosquito bites.  The highlight of the trips were riding bikes all over creation.  Sun up to sun down.

Whoa…my mind ventured off in left field.  Anytime I am at Lincoln, which is next to never, my mind always goes to camping.   I just can’t help myself…a bit ADD.

Now to the real story…we were there to celebrate my in-laws 58^th wedding anniversary.  Amazing.   They married young. Had kids young.  And still together today.  They are a great example of how you push through your struggles and make it in the end.   Without my in-laws, I wouldn’t have my hunka hunka.

I love both of my in-laws so dearly.  My mother-in-law and I both do not have a filter.  We say what’s on our minds.   I feel that gives us mutual respect for each other.  We are strong women who won’t back down.  At our engagement party my ‘future’ mother-in-law told my mom at their first meeting that she wasn’t so sure about me because of my mouth.  I quickly fired back, “I don’t care if you like me or not.  I’m not marrying you, I’m marrying your son.”   From that point on, we have had a great relationship.  She realized I was a good fit for her son.

My mother-in-law taught me the basic double crochet stitch many moons ago.  I took it and ran with it to teach myself so many other crafts.  I do owe her the foundation. However, that crazy woman…I’ll never forget when she first taught me.  She kept ripping my stitches out and said I was doing it wrong.  By the third time, I would not let go of my work.  She was not frogging it anymore.  She finally looked at my work and was like, “It looks right, but you’re doing it wrong.”

She finally realized I’m left-handed.  <facepalm>  I learned to crochet mirror image sitting across from her.  That’s how I learn any hands-on activity.  Of course it’s backwards.  Everything I do is backwards.  I laugh about it now…

The most impactful thing she has said to me was at my mom’s funeral.   She hugged me during the procession and said, “I know I can’t replace your mom, but I’ll do my best to take care of you.”  Yeah…let me pause a moment to wipe back a tear.  Pretty special.

Pops (as I call my father-in-law) is a mechanical genius.  That man worked tirelessly his whole life building diesel engines.  He has come to my rescue many times.   One morning when my truck battery was dead many years ago, and my hunka hunka was in a meeting at work, Pops came over, took out my battery and took it to the auto parts store.  He bought me a new one and came back to install it.  He said, “That’s what family is for.”   There have been other times when we have been in a car jam (flat tire, etc.), he has always stepped up to take care of us when we needed it.  Pops is an Energizer bunny.  Even in his 70s, he’s still going strong.  I admire his strength.

I feel blessed to have in-laws like them.  They are a second set of parents.  I know on my birthday, Mom is cooking me goulash.  I come to their house, spoon in hand, ready to eat.  I know at Thanksgiving, Pops is making an extra dish of his stuffing just for my dad.  When I graduated from college, my parents weren’t able to make the journey, but my wonderful in-laws made sure they were there in their place.  How lucky am I?

As we celebrated their day, I smile to see what all they have created.  Cheers to another 58 years!

Peace out, trout!