We Are Carl and Ellie

"Let us hope that we are all preceded by a love story." - Taken from the movie "Sweet Land"

"I've got to bring your dad to see this movie!" Audra and I had just seen the movie, "Up" in the theater sometime in June. I knew Chris would enjoy it, but there was a specific reason for bringing him. It was the story of Carl and Ellie. Here is their story:

They met when kids and were good friends, did some crazy stuff together, laughed a lot, and grew. They got married, dreamed of traveling, worked hard all of their lives, went on picnics at a certain spot, and grew old together. They lived in the same home for many years, and then Ellie dies and leaves Carl with great loss. But Carl eventually goes on a great adventure and lives out the dreams that they had dreamed together.

Chris and I met when we were kids and as we grew into adolescence, began talking more and more about life and interests. We started "going together" at ages 13 and 14. We got married at ages 18 and 19, moved to Colorado and lived there for 5 years. Moving back to Indiana, we raised our family, built a home, dreamed of traveling, worked very hard, and vacationed at certain places throughout our kids' growing years.

On the way home from the movie, I told Audra, "Your dad and I are Carl and Ellie! I can't wait to grow old together like them!"

Chris never saw the movie, for he died the next month and has left us all with great loss.

Monday, April 19th, will be Chris's first birthday in heaven. Here on earth he would have been 52, so our dreams of growing old together were not realized. I know, however, that we will spend eternity together, and that so brings comfort!

One our way out to Colorado for vacation, just 2 days before Chris died, I remember specifically looking at him two different times and thinking, "Thank you, Lord, for my husband." I shared this with Audra later in the Fall. She told me that she saw me when I looked at her dad that way. "Mom," she said, "I could always tell how much you loved Dad by the way you looked at him." I am so thankful that my kids have that relationship to remember as they think of us. Though way not perfect, we certainly did love each other.

My hope and prayer is that, like Carl, I will go on many adventures and realize some of our dreams, albeit without my Chris.

Thankful I am that my children were preceded by a love story.