MARK DESERVES THE BEST

Just from the title of my subject you can tell that I think my son Mark is a fantastic son. Every mother should be blessed with a son like him. He was always happy as a child, very obedient and just never caused any problems. He was the clown of our family with his "wa-sues" that he gave out to his brothers and sister any chance he got. Mark had a special spirit about him that made him the delight of the family....he was our family clown.
Then "life" came along and he has had some very hard knocks along the way. I know what he has been through and anyone else would have folded under the stress and the strain of big changes in his life...but he weathered those challenges and is making the best of the days ahead.
He has his two precious daughters living with him, plus his long time companion...his black lab named "Bo". He loves where he lives....a very beautiful home, a great job, his daughters and his son who lives in Utah with his wife.
I wish more of you could have known Mark when he lived here. He was the life of a party, the person who could make you laugh until your stomach hurt. A fantastic athelete from grade school through high school.
I have to tell you that he has always treated me with the highest respect and is very affection and not embarrassed or ashamed to give his dad and I hugs or tell us how he loves us. He has always been kind and upbeat about life. As I said, "life" came hard and fast and was very cruel to him. Hurtful people turned his life upside down, but he has come through it. Hopefully those that were so selfish and cruel will one day realize that their actions caused great anguish and sorrow to him, his children and parents and siblings and his friends.
When Mark was born I knew immediately that there was something very special about him. I told him about that feeling when he was about 16 or 17 years old. I just knew that a child such as he was would be an instrument in God's hands. He is the most compassionate person. He has a tough job in his career but he is still able to find some humor and turn ugly moments into funny ones. I have to say that I never had a more obedient child than he. So precious and good from day one....I know that Satan has tried to destroy him because he is so good...but Mark is a fighter and has won one round after another.
Why do I write about Mark today? Because this is his day...his birthday. I remember his birth as if it were yesterday. How very, very blessed I am to have had the honor of raising one of Heavenly Father's choice sons.
I called Mark today to wish him a happy birthday and I was greeted by the voice of a very sick man. Good old flu...he has been ill for four days. These are one of the times that I wish I could be there to give comfort, care and love. But I know that God will watch over him. I am praying that God will also send an angel of a woman one day so Mark can have an eternal companion to share life with...someone who will be good to him and recognize his beautiful qualities. Someone who will be true to him, share life, values, temple worship, laughter and all the things that make a sweetheart of a marriage.
Happy Birthday to a great guy with a wonderful future coming his way. Thank you God for giving me the opportunity to raise him and to recognize that I have raised a son who was already a choice child of God. He taught me much. I am humbled.

Mimi's Thought for the Day: "Laugh when you can, apologize when you should, let go of what you can't change, kiss slowly, play hard, forgive quickly, take chances, give everything, have no regrets. Life's too short to be anything but happy." ....Author Unknown