HURTING (FOR NORA WEST-ALLEN)

RAISING HOPE PART 2

   THROUGH A FATHER'S EYES
Barry's life has gotten so much better since Hope was born. He feels energetic and happy every minute of every day.
The best thing about raising Hope is that every day is an adventure. You don't know what to expect from her. You keep learning about everything and anything.
There is never a dull moment around her. Joe once told him of the legend that says  daughters have their fathers wrapped around their little fingers. He used to think it was just Joe trying to intimidate him and it wasn't until Nora was born that he realized how true it was.
With Hope, it's like a hundred times more. Like she had his heart on the palm of her hand.
He loved spending time with his little girl. He loved their conversations: debates as Iris liked to call them.
His favorite part of the day was coming home to his family, knowing that Hope wouldn't go to bed until he came home.
He loved their spur of the moment father-daughter dances.
He loved singing with her as they each tried to outdo the other. Iris says Hope gets her amazing voice from him but he knew it wasn't entirely true.
So on Hope's tenth birthday,they plotted together to prove her wrong. Hope insisted that the only gift she wanted that year was her parents singing for her.
As part of the plan, they decided to have a singing competition.
His parents went first and they all applauded them while Hope gave them an eight. Then he went and Hope scored him a six saying his voice is getting old.
Finally, it was Iris's turn and when she started singing,all conversation stopped. As he suspected,she had an incredible voice and Hope scored her a twelve.
From that day onward, they had singing competitions at the house just the three of them.
His other favorite is their culinary classes as Hope liked to call them.
It was an unspoken rule in the family that Iris couldn't cook to save her life. It was up to Barry to teach their daughter how to cook and they had fun doing just that.
Life is amazing. He thought that he'd never be able to have another child after Nora yet here he was making new memories and living his best life... just as he promised Nora he would.
He's grateful for another chance to be a better Dad, a better man and a better husband.
God is indeed good. His family is proof of just that.
It seems like a lifetime ago when he laid his first daughter to rest.
At the time,he thought he would die from the pain and the sadness.
He tries his hardest to always be around when his family needs him but sometimes he's never there and Iris has had to do the bulk of the work.
He's noticed the changes in Hope, in her countenance,her body language,her general approach to life and he knows Iris had a lot to do with that.
He could never thank her enough.For being his friend, his  partner, his soulmate, the love of his life,his wife and the mother of his daughters.
He knows he doesn't deserve her.
He always wondered why she chose to marry him. He was honest with her from the start. He told her his flaws,his weaknesses. How much of a mess his family was. His relationship with his Mom and the lack of relationship with his Dad.
He told her he might never be the kind of man that she deserved and she looked at him with so much love in her eyes and said that he was just the man she needed: flaws and all.
He was so touched that he just broke down crying.
They laugh when they talked about it now, his weird way of asking her out but it was at that moment he knew he couldn't live without her.....
Now, here he was living the life he's always wanted : with his parents, his amazing wife and beautiful daughter.......... what more could a man want...............

       AUTHOR'S NOTE
Hey guys. Before you assume that we have gotten to the end of this book, I want you to know that we still have some chapters to go........
I am so excited about this particular book because I believe in the theme of rising from the ashes of despair to a glorious future....
In the meantime, I will be taking a break from writing to do some serious stock taking and inventory on life in general.
I will be back.....and I will be stronger and better.
Thank you all for your encouragement.
Until next time.....remain blessed!