Grandma Ricks 100th Birthday Party. 
Kassidy, Kaitlyn & Caleb sitting with their Great Grandma RicksIt’s been a nearly 15 years now that I’ve been a Ricks. When Mike asked me to marry him after our date on December 10, 1993 (yes – call me corny – I remember the date) I had not even met his family. (Note to my children – this is NOT a nice thing to do to your parents!!!) Now, when a woman finds someone that she wants to marry, and decides to take his name as her own, it is a big deal. Okay, maybe not for everyone, but for this woman it was a big deal. I grew up an Anderson. At the very core of me I still am an Anderson. I am incredibly stubborn & independent just like generations of Andersons who have gone before me. I watch my dad today and continually think to myself, “Hell, I am just like him!”. And I mean that in a good way. My dad is someone I want to be like, and I’m proud to be an Anderson. But lately, I’ve been thinking about what it means to be a Ricks. After all, I am one, and I’m raising 3 of them.
It all started last weekend during chores. We do chores every Saturday. This is not a new development btw, but they sure act like it is every Saturday. We have daily chores and weekly chores. Without fail, my kids especially complain about the weekly chores. You would think that after years of Saturday chores they would have finally given up with the complaining, but they haven’t. In fact, this last weekend it was more than usual and I had HAD ENOUGH! Finally I sat all three of them down in the hall and said, “Do you know who we are? We are Rickses. And do you know what that means? We come from generations of Rickses who have worked hard and sacrificed much so we could have this amazing life that we have today. How do you think it makes our ancestors feel when we waste time complaining about laundry, messy rooms, and having to scrub toilets? They didn’t even have toilets for crying out loud! They crossed the plains, worked the land, and gave their all for their families, and you thank them by complaining about how hard your life is?” Man, I was on a roll, and it got my kids attention. I insured them that it is their job to carry on the family name in a way that will make generations of parents and grandparents proud. So stop the complaining and start working! Then I sent them off with a “Make ‘em proud!” pep talk and it seemed to work. But is also got me thinking. What does it really mean to be a Ricks?
I was mulling this question around in my brain when we received word on Thursday that my father-in-law was in the hospital with pneumonia and had a large mass growing in his lungs. It is most likely lung cancer. And at the moment, we didn’t know if he would be able to even beat the pneumonia. This was a scary call to receive. Suddenly I went from pondering what it meant to be a part of this family, to watching it in real time. What happened was quite amazing. I watched a family of Rickses jump into action. A family that has had its differences, hang ups, and struggles. A family that can fight and hold grudges with the best of them. A family that put all of that a side, came together and did the things that needed to be done. Nearly our entire family made it down to St. George to be with my mother-in-law and father-in-law. They analyzed the situation, discussed the options, and made things happen. It was a weekend where nothing was sugar coated, we just faced the facts head on. I was present for a few days at the hospital, watching brothers & sisters taking care of their mom & dad, and in the process they were taking care of one another. After a short glimpse into this difficult situation, I have now returned home with my heart full of love for this amazing family.
So what does it mean to be a Ricks? It means you are strong. It means you work hard. It means you don’t whine about the cards life deals you, you just play them the best way that you can. It means you are resourceful, and can approach life with a no nonsense attitude and a sense of humor at the same time. It means when the chips are down, you are there for each other. It means that love really can conquer all. Yes, I’ve spent 15 years among the Ricks family, and the stories I’ve heard, and the moments I’ve witnessed have forever engraved in my soul what it truly means to be a Ricks. I pray that I too will make them proud, and through my actions add only strength to the definition.
It all started last weekend during chores. We do chores every Saturday. This is not a new development btw, but they sure act like it is every Saturday. We have daily chores and weekly chores. Without fail, my kids especially complain about the weekly chores. You would think that after years of Saturday chores they would have finally given up with the complaining, but they haven’t. In fact, this last weekend it was more than usual and I had HAD ENOUGH! Finally I sat all three of them down in the hall and said, “Do you know who we are? We are Rickses. And do you know what that means? We come from generations of Rickses who have worked hard and sacrificed much so we could have this amazing life that we have today. How do you think it makes our ancestors feel when we waste time complaining about laundry, messy rooms, and having to scrub toilets? They didn’t even have toilets for crying out loud! They crossed the plains, worked the land, and gave their all for their families, and you thank them by complaining about how hard your life is?” Man, I was on a roll, and it got my kids attention. I insured them that it is their job to carry on the family name in a way that will make generations of parents and grandparents proud. So stop the complaining and start working! Then I sent them off with a “Make ‘em proud!” pep talk and it seemed to work. But is also got me thinking. What does it really mean to be a Ricks?
I was mulling this question around in my brain when we received word on Thursday that my father-in-law was in the hospital with pneumonia and had a large mass growing in his lungs. It is most likely lung cancer. And at the moment, we didn’t know if he would be able to even beat the pneumonia. This was a scary call to receive. Suddenly I went from pondering what it meant to be a part of this family, to watching it in real time. What happened was quite amazing. I watched a family of Rickses jump into action. A family that has had its differences, hang ups, and struggles. A family that can fight and hold grudges with the best of them. A family that put all of that a side, came together and did the things that needed to be done. Nearly our entire family made it down to St. George to be with my mother-in-law and father-in-law. They analyzed the situation, discussed the options, and made things happen. It was a weekend where nothing was sugar coated, we just faced the facts head on. I was present for a few days at the hospital, watching brothers & sisters taking care of their mom & dad, and in the process they were taking care of one another. After a short glimpse into this difficult situation, I have now returned home with my heart full of love for this amazing family.
So what does it mean to be a Ricks? It means you are strong. It means you work hard. It means you don’t whine about the cards life deals you, you just play them the best way that you can. It means you are resourceful, and can approach life with a no nonsense attitude and a sense of humor at the same time. It means when the chips are down, you are there for each other. It means that love really can conquer all. Yes, I’ve spent 15 years among the Ricks family, and the stories I’ve heard, and the moments I’ve witnessed have forever engraved in my soul what it truly means to be a Ricks. I pray that I too will make them proud, and through my actions add only strength to the definition.
7 comments:
That was beautiful!
good grief, I'm tearing up over here. Loved.that.post.
You are so cute laying it on the line to the kids. I hope your FIL is hanging in there, and I trust you ARE a blessing and an asset to the Ricks family.
xo
This is why "Families stick together NO MATTER WHAT" and Kristen is an added BLESSING to this wonderful family. . . .she is amazing.
That is an awesome post! It is strange to marry and come into a new family. What a blessing to come to love and appreciate them. How is your father in law doing?
I LOVE how you sat them down in the hall to chat about the chores - come Saturday this is going to be me and mine! Boy, do they need it! Thanks for the tip.
Great Post. Best wishes to you FIL.
I must say it was quite amazing to see and I learned more about the people within that side of my family in one day than I have known about them my whole life!
What a special woman you are. We are so lucky that our son chose you to share the rest of his life with. You will never know how much we have appreciated your sharing him with us this past week when we have been so vulnerable. Yes, it has been a week+ of heartaches, tears and laughter but just saying Thank You and we love you doesn't begin to express our gratitude to you. You are one in a million.
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