Ridgell's Originals

 So my daughter Julie and her husband Tim Cope are about to celebrate their first anniversary,  Here are a few of the reasons I love them and are proud of them.

They are in love.  I know that seems pretty basic.  Maybe even trite.  But for two people who were really burnt in their last relationship, having someone love you is a big deal.  

They work really hard to mesh families.  Julie never expected to be a grandmother --JuJu-- at this stage of her life.  And now she is.  And she fully embraces it.  Loves Tim's grands.  Making them her grands.

And Tim sure never expected to be helping raise two teenagers.  And teens are the toughest ones to merge into new families.  But Tim is walking that fine line between "I'm not your Dad, but I love you like I was"

Both extended families are thrilled.  Tim's family loves Julie.  Appreciates her.  Tim's kids love her.  And the grands are crazy about Jake and Avery.

Our family loves Tim.  He helps out at the ranch.  A lot.  Way beyond what he has to.  Gets along and is a great uncle to Joe Don's kids.  

They get that this marriage is hard work and that they aren't perfect.

And of course there are still things to work on.

It is hard for grown-ups to get married and share lives.  They are still trying to find their church home.  They are learning how to communicate.  But here is the thing.  They are working on every one of these.  

That is very different for both of them.  

They are happy.  And that makes this Dad happy.

Thank you God for letting them find each other.

# posted by Steve @ 5:00 AM