And then there's my Hero

He's amazing, my sweet husband. I love him a lot, but so do a great amount of other people and so I have to share him. I shared him with the Grillone's and I'm totally okay with that, for the obvious reasons.

Kris and Hector became close good friends. I think it really happened because of Cory and me, we have a tendency to instigate stuff, the two of us. I think in large part, though, it was because Kris and Hector served together at church and, then, there was that dressing alike they somehow managed to do. Okay, so Cory and I have sometimes purchased very similar things (like the color of the purses we each currently use), but seriously, khaki's and plaid shirts that were almost exactly the same? Even we didn't go that far - well, we don't tend to wear khaki and plaid,we're more into black and white clothing with splashes of vibrant color!

On New Year's day we loaded up the car with the Grillone's, us and Bryan and headed for Sonic. It's an hour and a half away near Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Why? Well, why not? We love their different lemonades and Karen and Bryan gave a Sonic trip to Sophie and Anders. We adults crashed the trip. Kris and Hector were up front, the rest of us crammed in the back of our Sienna van. Craziness for sure, but so much fun.

Hector brought out the playfulness in Kris, oh, and the competition. Can we mention table tennis? Can we say that they were going to start playing racket ball together because they both needed to get into shape? Hector had even looked into a gym membership right across from Kris's work and they were going to start doing that.


(Valentine's 2007 - The Melting Pot)

We teased Hector the one day we were at lunch at Chili's. Yes, we liked to hang with each other, even if it was just to meet for a quick lunch/dinner, just so we could chat and be with one another. Hector's back was really beginning to bother him a lot and we said it was because he was out of shape and warned Kris he would be going the same way if he wasn't careful. Little did we know.

Hector's back got to the point where he was crying from the pain and that's when Cory took him to the emergency room. That was January 23rd. From that day on I don't think there's been a day that Kris hasn't either called or been with Hector, Cory or both.

When Hector was in the hospital, Kris would visit on his lunch hour. He'd go in the evenings. Sometimes I went too, mostly it was just Kris. He became a medical proxy so Cory wouldn't always have to deal with the doctors and Kris could speak on her and Hector's behalf.

Kris spent many and evening by Hector's side, buoying him up. Sometimes they were on their own together and I don't know what was talked about or even if any talking was done, but I know that Kris loved Hector like a brother.

Kris had to go to California on business. It was becoming increasingly apparent that Hector was taking a serious turn for the worse. Kris didn't want to go. It was February 25th, a Sunday. Hector was gone by Wednesday 28th. So much happened in that time, though. The number of calls, conference calls between doctors at Morristown Memorial where Hector was and doctors at Sloan Kettering, a cancer center. Arrangements Kris made to talk to these doctors, have records picked up, delivered, copied etc. were all made.

There were physical things that Kris did in order to help Cory and Hector, like the proxy work, but then there were the things Kris did that truly make him my hero. Kris gave of his love 24/7 to the Grillone family. He bought Hector's mom tweezers at the hospital because she found a hair under her chin that she wanted to get rid of. Who does that? My hero, that's who - he knows and understands how I feel about chin hairs so he wasn't about to let Olga suffer! He walked the corridors with Cory, bought a Curious George for Brinkley at Cory's urging. He skipped meals for them, he fasted purposefully for them. Kris went to the temple whilst in Sacramento and as he contemplated in the Celestial Room, knew where his friend would be and what he would be about - the Father's work.

Kris came home early. He somehow managed to be a Bishop, friend, husband, and still carry out his job in California, then come home early. He had to. He hurt so badly not being with us all in person and this sweet, sweet man didn't even have enough time to truly grieve himself, he was so busy helping us all do it. He was there at the funeral home from the time the viewing began and only left after everyone else, bar the funeral home employees, had gone home. He arranged for the young men to go to the church before the funeral on a horribly snowy, cold day to shovel the parking lot and side walks. He knew the people would come despite the weather. His faith shone through, sometimes more than ours, as a beacon for us to follow. He's a good man, this husband of mine.

Kris's words at the funeral, a talk he actually had to write down for the first time in his life, were poignant, stirring and touched many who heard with their ears and their hearts. He was our Bishop but he was also Hector's dear friend, Cory's physical and spiritual support and his arms were constantly open for hugs and reassurances.

Kris misses his friend, as we all do. He's about his Father's business, though, picking up where he needs to be, working hard to make the lives of others better. He did so just last night. We were with the Grillone's for Family Home Evening, Hector's parent's last night here before returning to Utah. No sooner had we arrived than Kris has to leave for an emergency, to help and comfort yet another family in great distress over something.

Kris leaps buildings in a single bound, in my mind. He's there with the safety net when we fall, me included. That's why he's my hero. Oh, and then there's this small thing we've got going. It's called marriage for time and all eternity. So we don't always get to be together every single moment, but you bet I'm going to see we get some good quality time in the next life! Hmmmm, heroes wear tights .... nah, white ones wouldn't look too hot.