Actions Speak Louder Than Words

As I was getting the car ready to take kids to school this morning by  scraping the ice off the windows and putting a blanket on the leather seats in the back row; I realized a few things. I I took my dad for granted, I did marry someone with similar qualities as my dad and chivalry is not dead. 

My mom was agoraphobic and would rarely go anyplace alone during the day. This worked to my advantage when I was 16. She would say, "I'm not going anyplace until you or your dad get home. You can drive to school today."  I'd give her a kiss on the cheek, skip out the door and get in the already warmed up and de-iced blue Chevy Cavalier.  While I was finishing getting ready for the day, my dad would be outside warming up both cars and scraping the windshields, knocking off any snow or icicles that had formed overnight. "My car" was always so warm and toasty. I know I thanked him every day for doing this but didn't realize what a sacrifice it was until later. After I moved out and had my own car, I had to scrape the windows. It was then that I really appreciated my dad. I remember calling him thanking him for all the times over the years he did that for me. He laughed and said, "It was nothing. Just something I did." Jim quite often will do the same for me. This morning however; as I grabbed the frozen door handle and realized that the car was still covered in a thin layer of ice, I was reminded of my dad his sweet service  for me to show that he loved me. As I scraped the windows and put a blanket on the back row of seats so the kids' little bottoms wouldn't freeze, I smiled thinking of my dad's example and how I'm still following his lead by doing it for my kids too.

When I dropped the kids off at school, their happy chatter and sweet giggles left the car silent and me to my thoughts. My thoughts are much like my writing, a bit scattered. :)  My mind went from my dad to my sweet husband that I know would do anything in the world for me. He always tells me, "I love you so much and I just want you to always be happy."  I am and I will be with him by my side. He has so much in common with my dad in the way he treats me. My dad treated my mom like a princess, even when she was incredibly grumpy with him. I never understood how he could do that. Now I do. It's called love and marriage being a give and take relationship. When I'm with Jim I never open a door, he always lets me order dinner first when we're at a restaurant, when we're walking-he walks on the outside edge of the sidewalk. I've never been a girl that thinks there are particular jobs for each gender or partner in a relationship. So don't think I'm old fashioned and being a wimpy girl. I think it's sweet and respectful when Jim does these things for me. I love even more that he teaches our boys to do the same. Chivalry is not dead...at least when a Eudaily boy is around. I've seen Hunter open doors for women anyplace we go and he does it without even thinking. He always smiles at the women and tells them to have a good day or something. I've seen  him shrug off his coat give it to girl that forgot hers at home. My heart bursts with pride when I see him following his dad's example. I teach the boys when they're little hold the door for me or their sisters whenever we're out. Now Nate will run ahead of us at church and hold the door for his sisters and mom and then looks around to see if anyone else is coming. He gets the biggest smile on his face when people thank him for being such a gentleman. He doesn't do this so much when it's 10 degrees outside and I can't say I blame him, either. HA!

My dad was a man of few words. He rarely said, I love you and he rarely hugged anyone but mom. I remember once he asked me if I know why he does stuff like scraping my windows for me. I shrugged my shoulders and he said, "because I love you." The saying goes, Actions speak louder than words, it was truly the case with my dad. I'm sure he'd like knowing those things are still being done for his daughter and his grandbabies. And that we're continuing to teach the boys to be gentlemen and the girls to be ladies.