Russell Edward Hays

  

   The initials are REH. When my daughter Samarah was a teenager, she was browsing around in an antique store and found a Zippo lighter. It was engraved with the initials REH. She bought it despite the meaningless initials and made the comment that, "it will mean something one day". A few years later she met Russell Edward Hays. Weeks into their courtship, he happened upon the lighter. He picked it up and said that those were his initials. Hmmmm....He became her husband, but not because of his initials. LOL! She had found her soul mate. They truly loved each other. The colors that were woven into their lives were rusty reds, oranges and yellows. They were the colors of the flowers, in their wedding, the color of his hair and the color she chose in almost every sentimental decision she made.

   My fondest memory of my son in law is him standing in my kitchen, playing his violin, singing a song to my daughter. It was one that he was to sing at a wedding that day. She wanted me to hear it. The name of the song was "The luckiest" by Ben Folds. He sang and played it while looking straight into her eyes throughout the whole thing. He said that he wished he had written it. I still tear up at the memory. I saw the love pass between them and knew that I would never need to worry about them. A mother's only wish. The love, trust and bond was rooted in the Lord. Their faith was a quiet force that they did not flaunt. They just lived it. It grounded their life in what was important. Russell was protective and fiercely loyal. He loved Christ and is with him today. Of this I am sure. He believed he was the luckiest man. I think he was. He would be 34 this year on December 10th.

  I hang an ornament on my Christmas tree for each member of my family. I chose a little glass mushroom for him, years ago. He and Sam loved to eat at Mellow Mushroom and he was like the hippies from the 70s. Mushrooms were very popular then. They were on everything. As I walked in my yard this week, I noticed a little color of orange poking out of some leaves. I uncovered these tiny mushrooms. I realized what it was. A little hello from Russell, around his birthday. I see these things as signs. Signs that our loved ones, who have passed on, live on. So happy birthday, my son in law. I love you and I miss you. Peace be with you.