To say that I'm "glad" he had a stroke so I'd learn these life lessons would be a stretch, but indeed, there are lessons for me to learn and this has been the avenue God saw fit to teach them to me!

I've learned that even though he had a stroke and will never be "the same" as he was before in all ways, that I'm grateful that he's still here with me!

I've learned that sometimes I just need to lean over and hold his hand and squeeze it to let him know that (whatever the "thing" at the moment that is frustrating him is) this, too shall pass.

I've learned that I need to shut-up sometimes, and not make mountains out of molehills. That I don't have to be right every time. That I don't have to have the last word in every argument. That I can't expect him to do all of the things for me that he used to.

I've learned that I don't have to remind him of how often he forgets things. That just because he knew where the store was yesterday, doesn't mean he remembers how to get there today.

I know there's more to come!

Susan