THE HEROES IN MY LIFE

For the next week or so I want to thank all the people in my life that I view as my heroes or that have been an inspiration to me. If I tried to put everyone on one blog it would turn into an epic, so I am choosing to just tell about one person a day and make sure I give them the justification they deserve. There is no particular order of my heroes because really they are all number one on my list for very different reasons. I felt compelled to do this because I felt how often do we stop and thank the people in our lives? Let them know how much they mean to us? One never knows how long you or the person you love has on earth and the opportunity could be gone at any given time to tell them how much they mean to you. I for one don’t want to regret missing that opportunity.

MA FIDD

Let me introduce you to my mother-in-law, Ma Fidd, I guess I am the one that gave her this name, it just seem to fit her. The first time I met her which was about six and half to seven years ago, I felt an immediate connection with her. We both love to do crafts, she has a great sense of humor, and was like me as a mom who would do anything for her kids. When I met her, Jeff and I were just friends and every time I would visit Jeff at their home she always made me feel very welcome there. The first thing that floored me about her was she knew 80’s metal, groups like Motley Crue, Skid Row, and Poison. Heck, if I had mentioned these names to my mom, she would have checked me in to rehab. To me, Ma Fidd was the most genuine person I had ever met, what you see is what you get and to me that was very refreshing.

Ma Fidd became my mother-in-law almost five years ago. Jeff and I married in secret because we weren’t sure how his family would handle him getting married, due to the fact that his oldest brother had been through a very bad divorce and daughter-in-laws were not a very happy subject in the Fiddler household. Jeff did tell his mother not long after we were married and she welcome me to the family with open arms. Her and I started going shopping for crafts every other weekend and I enjoyed our ventures out very much. It gave her and I a chance to escape the testosterone environment we lived in and let us have a chance to take our sweet time in stores without being rushed. We lived for those shopping trips like a kid lives for Christmas morning.

It was a few years ago that I really saw what true strength Ma Fidd possessed. During her well visit check with our beloved Dr. Koons, he felt a lump in her breast. After the biopsy came back, Ma Fidd’s worst dreams came true she had cancer. Then began her adventure into chemotherapy, radiation treatments, and constant doctor visits. I couldn’t stand seeing Ma Fidd going through losing her hair and being sick all the time from the chemo, it just wasn’t Ma Fidd’s style to be like that. Never the less, she stayed in my eyes strong through the whole ordeal. We would still go shopping and do what we normally did and she, to me, always was a pillar to her husband, sons, and grandchildren. Never did I see her show weakness no matter how she felt. She was a true inspiration to her family and me.

Today, Ma Fidd has defeated cancer and is back to the ole Ma Fidd we know and love. Some things have change like now, with much regret, we live further apart so our shopping trips are few and far between but when we do get to go we make the most of it and since now I work at home I don’t get to see her as much. In the seven plus years I have known her my respect and love for her still grows everyday. If I ever have to face what she did I hope I am at least half as courageous as she was. Ma Fidd really did open my eyes as to what it is to be a strong woman and not let the speed bumps in life get you down.

So Ma Fidd, if you are reading this, know that your family and I love and respect you very much and life without you would not be life at all. God has us here for a reason and he doesn’t give us what we can’t handle. He must of known that you can handle anything he throws at you because he knows what kind of woman you are. For everything you went through, you taught us that no matter what, you have to believe and keep faith that all things will work out. A true inspiration everyone can learn from. Thanks for that and I love you.