For no particular reason, my husband Glenn and my father have been on my mind all day. Losing both of you in a matter of 18 months was beyond hard.
Today has been a bit rough. It’s been 40 months (1239 days!) since you left Glenn.
My Dad was a wonderful father figure to my children as their grandpa. He stepped in when no one else was there to lead them. Dad made sure things were right. Then you came along. He was so proud to call you not only his friend but his favorite and ONLY son in law he ever had.
When Glenn walked into my life it wasn’t easy however, he did become a role model to the kids. He was more than just a friend to them. He showed them how their mother was truly supposed to be treated. How she was to be respected and loved. I hope he knows how much he changed and influenced their lives. Glenn was the type of man my father was. Good. Hard working. Never met a stranger and willing to help no matter what. I only hope I can continue to live up to what both of them believe I am.
There is that saying that blood doesn’t always make a man a dad, being a dad comes from the heart. A man isn’t defined as the man that makes the child, but rather the man who extends his hands and time to help with the child’s raising and his heart to love the child through anything. With my husband our family found this.
It is not always the holidays, birthdays, or anniversaries, but all the normal days that can knock me on my bottom. You learn to prepare for those big memory days and make a plan to avoid the stress as much as possible. It is the Sunday afternoons, Tuesday mornings, the random song on the radio or the sound of the neighbors lawn mower that can send you over the edge.
Remember that there is a memory waiting to bust out at any given moment. Sometimes it is a small ripple, other times it can be a tsunami. One thing I can say for certain is that I continue moving forward and continue to strive to be the person each of them saw in me.
About Pam Williams
Pam is originally from Texas, where she grew up as the oldest of her siblings. With more than 15 years of experience in the education field, she has dedicated the last four years to teaching graphic design. Throughout their time together, Pam regularly captured the ups and downs of their journey through blogging and journaling. Sadly, she lost her husband Glenn on November 3, 2019, due to complications from a congenital heart issue.
As she adjusts to her new role as a mother and bonus mother to five adult children, along with two wonderful sons-in-law, she proudly embraces her role as a Grammy to four adventurous grandchildren. Motivated by many to share her experiences, Pam has started a personal blog and plans to publish her writings for everyone to enjoy