The holiday seasons remind me of how important family will be. Emma is not in this picture but was there. This was one of our last celebrations of Christmas with my own mother. One of my brothers is not there. It made me cry when i came upon it tonight. This will be the second christmas without her. I think i miss more that she would have enjoyed hearing about Becky's wedding...but even at Mike and Tia's she was not well enough to attend. Still she loved hearing about it, seeing the pictues and so on. I miss my mom. I bet some of you might blink a tear as you miss yours too. The older I get the more understanding I have of my mom's strengths and weaknesses...the more I forgive things that angered me...the more I remember her sense of humor, her appreciaton of books and so many things that influenced my live.
I don't want this to be a sad blog post. I want it just to be a reminder to me (and maybe you?) to appreciate the presence of family, and friends who seem like family in our lives. They help me appreciate all that I have to be thankful for..their support, their kindness, the shared memories and so much more.
My daughters upcoming wedding has caused me to do a lot of thinking on this. I will miss my brother Den and his family who live in Portland. As i hear of the rsvps and my siblings, their children (her cousins) and even (I am so fortunate) my great neices and nephews who will join us I am just so thrilled. They cannot possible know how much it means to me to share this very joyful event with people who have shared our history. I was thinking about when Becky was born and the reactions of her Aunts, Uncles and cousins and family friends. How much all of them mean to me as we all have shared the journey of these decades the joys and sorrows and how all that enriches all our lives.
It is of course Becky's wedding and I sure don't want to be labeled the mother who made it "her" wedding or who interfered to much (I think Becky is the type who sure would let me know if I did). Having the celebration and having so many there just means the world to me. I keep writing but why can't I capture in words what my tears of joy trickling down my face what to express?
My children and Justin's siblings are the attendants in the wedding and of course Sophia (my granddaughter) also. I think that is a testimony of how close both Becky and Justin are to there family. How special that is at this time. For our side of the family we are fortunate that they all live in town. yeah for that.
I should note that my siblings do not all get together for Thanksgiving or Christmas. We all have our own families and grandchildren. Den does not come home to MN. I think again this year we are trying for a family brunch before or after the holiday for those who can make it. we keep it simple though - real simple. Maybe that is why it means so much to me that we can all be at the wedding.
The Weinands (Greg has nine siblings) hopefully will come to the wedding. Two are out of town so they will be unlikely so that is not all. With 7 families in town that should be a good group though also. We are way over 70? in number with kids, wives/husbands, grandkids etc but do gather usually at Christmas but not on the date.
We will miss Greg's sister Sharon at the wedding. She died of cancer a few years ago. She kept encouraging Becky and Justin to get married before she died but the time was right for them and she knew that. She really always had such a big heart for family and we know will be looking down from us from Heaven.
Oh gosh I am so emotional. Am I nuts? No appreciative of family...over the holidays i hope you have family and friends to share the special moments...you will be in my prayers.
Emma has the stangest look - like when do we go back to bed? I was up coughing so sat up to settle it down... off to bed. Yeah I can sleep late if the coughing tames down...Mary and Emma
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