ANGELS ON EARTH...

I was going to post today about how patriotic my dad was, knowing full well that "patriotic" is, unfortunately, a loaded word these days. We'll get to that later.

Because before I can tell you the story of my dad's patriotism, and the worries that filled his heart during his final days on earth, I must first tell you of my aunt Teresa, his youngest sister, who performed a seemingly small, yet heartfelt task for him shortly before he died. That task will be the topic of tomorrow's post.

But first you must know about Teresa.

She is one of the funniest people I know. She makes everybody, child and adult, laugh. Her eyes twinkle. She is one of those women who is constantly on the go - busy, busy, busy, taking care of her mother, working in the community, and up until a few years ago running her own craft business that at one point landed her on QVC. She is a servant with a heart that overflows with love and joy.

During the week of my dad's funeral, the red carpet was rolled out for us in his tiny home town because he was Teresa's brother. I am not kidding. All I had to do was say, "yes I am Teresa P's niece" and doors would open to me. And not because people feared her but because people love her. People truly love her.

Years ago at a Christmas party at her house I was sitting at the counter talking to her husband Steve and, somehow, we started talking bout Teresa.

First of all, the look of love in this man's eyes while talking about his wife of then 30 years was astounding to me. His love for that woman was palpable. But these words that he spoke to me with such warmth and conviction will never leave my memory:

"You know, Heidi, I truly believe that God has angels on earth to make our lives better. I know, in my heart, that Teresa is one of those angels. There is no other explanation for the beautiful person she is."

*gulp*

And he meant it. He truly believes he is married to an angel sent from God.

I have never heard a man say anything so romantic and loving about his wife.

Regardless of your belief about God or angels or heavenly beings, surely you have to admit that this is a man who truly sees the beauty in his wife and the beauty she adds to his life and the world around her.

And so tomorrow, when I tell you about the simple task she performed that calmed my dad's worried heart, you'll understand that is was simply in her character.

It's as though she can't help it - being an angel and all.