(Favorite shoes) Favorite memories

I thought a lot about what I would blog today… this being the one year anniversary of Richard’s departure to heaven.

There are so many things going on inside of me. Part of me didn’t even want to say anything …I just wanted it to be, 
"just another day". But it’s not…and it never will be.  It will forever be burned inside my broken heart. So truly the only thing I can even share about what this past year has been like for me, is something a dear friend said to me recently.  Because it sums it up the best I can right now.  

She said... 

“Only God knows how many tears you have shed over Richard’s death.”  

And I must say as I write this blog I am adding to that count.

So to keep my mind from breaking under the sorrow I am feeling today I need to shift my thoughts to a happier memory of my beloved Richard. 

It was brought back to me because of today’s photo challenge...

"Favorite shoes"

My favorite shoes are not even mine, they are Richards. So I'm going to tell you the story behind why this is.

My husband had a darling habit when we went out shopping.  He would carry my purse for me.  Trust me anyone that knew Richard can attest to the fact that he was all man.  But he was also the most thoughtful, caring and tender husband… and so Christ like in his care of me. 

This became so second nature to us we never thought anything of it, and I'm sure at times I had some pretty girlie looking bags....and we must have gotten some pretty funky looks. LOL

This was a time when it wasn't so socially acceptable to be open about any alternative lifestyle… and definitely not in our very quaint little town.  But like I said we never thought anything of it until this one summer day when we were out together shopping.

We went to the mall in town and at one point decided to go shop in different directions. Richard like always was carrying my purse as we parted ways.  He was on a hunt for a pair of men's clogs. Again this was something that was not popular even in our country yet… let alone in our neck of the woods.

Richard strolled up to the counter with my big flowery purse slung over his shoulder and asked the clerk it they carried men's clogs… and if not could they order him a pair? 

It wasn’t until we met back up and Richard was telling me how bizarre the clerk treated him that it finally dawned on us what he must have thought of this man with this big ol' girlie purse walking into the store looking for a pair of clogs.  We busted out laughing so hard. And although it was a few more years till we could finally find Richard “men's clogs”.

They always reminded us of that funny day. 

So now they belong to Mr. Jasper because there will never be another man on the face of this earth who could fill those shoes as far as we are concerned.  They usually sit on the floor beside my bed and will till the day I die and see my beloved again.

So I’m going to end this post with some pictures of Jasper’s favorite memories of Daddy… :)

And if dogs could cry real tears… 

imagine how many Jasper would have cried this year as well.