After all that my family has been through and all we have lost, I guess we could just lay down and give up and nobody would blame us. But I come from a family with deep roots, roots that reach far above my imagination. But I see them, I hear them, I feel them. They were present even before this country was founded. They were the courage that stood against the enemy in the Revolutionary War with my GGGGGGrandfather Edward Polly, and even another grandfather and some uncles. They were the strength that my Great Grandparents used as they lived through the Great Depression. The wisdom of my Grandparents who knew how to prepare for future generations. And love, the love of my parents. Love and hope they shared with us. A love so great that it brings with it, the courage, the strength, and the wisdom from past generations, that bind together this present generation. I grew up watching the grandest love story ever told. My Dad and Mom is and will always be the greatest and purest influence in my life. The love they shared is still, even in my moms absence, so sweet and gentle, tender and beautiful. I was taught the importance of tradition, commitment, family, honesty, the blessings of simply living and loving. Our house was and still is filled with laughter, tears, memories, and many many stories. When I say "our house", I am referring to our family structure. Their are many of us, but we are a single unit. And I am proud of that fact. You've heard the saying, "When the going gets tough, the tough get going"??? Well, around here when the going gets tough, we were already going. Standing together, hand in hand, a wall of love and strength, courage and wisdom, and hope with a foundation already set and unmoveable with the roots of generations past, and built upon the rock. That rock is Christ. So, after all we've been through, all we've lost. We stand strong in the promise of Christ, and life everlasting. I'm thankful for such a wonderful family. In the past four years we have lost my grandfather, my uncle James, my uncle Frankie, a dear family friend Virl, my Mom Sally, my uncle Silas, and my aunt Norma. We have so much to look forward to.
