They gave each other a future with a smile in it

These are my parents, Joe and Sandra Lootens. They have been married now for 30+ years, have had 5 children, 9 grandchildren, 1 grand-dog and a life time of memories. I think you never really realize how much your parents taught you until its time to head out into the real world and do it on your own. Here are some of the things I learned from my parents:
  1. My parents taught me IRONY -- "keep crying and I'll give you something to cry about"
  2. My parents taught me LOGIC --"because I said so, that's why"
  3. My parents taught me THE CIRCLE OF LIFE --"I brought you into this world, and I can take you out"
  4. My parents taught me STAMINA --"You will sit there until all those vegetables are gone"
  5. My parents taught me WISDOM --"When you are my age you will understand"
  6. My parents taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE --"If you don't stop crossing your eyes they will stay that way"
  7. My parents taught me RELIGION --"You better pray that comes out of the carpet"
  8. My parents taught me HUMILITY --"Think of what the poor kids are eating"
  9. My parents taught me FORESIGHT --"Make sure you wear clean underwear in case you get in an accident"
  10. My parents taught me JUSTICE --"One day you will have kids and I hope they turn out just like you"
Maybe it's getting older, smarter, more experienced, and more appreciative of the things that exist in your life, and the people who helped you get there. One of the greatest gifts my parents gave me was not handicapping my life by making it easy. They gave me roots and they gave me wings, and those are two eternal bequests. It's not only children who grow up, parents do too. And as much as they watch to see what we are going to do with our lives, we are just as much watching to see what they are going to do with theirs.

So may I always remember to:
  • Build self-esteem first & the house later
  • Finger paint more & point the finger less
  • Less correcting & more connecting
  • Keep my eyes off the watch & watch with the eyes
  • Take more hikes & fly more kites
  • Stop playing seriously & seriously play
  • Run through more fields and gaze at more stars
  • Do more hugging & less tugging.
Lootens---it's like a family menu, you've got two choices: Take it or Leave it.

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