Families!

Well, it has been fun being with my nieces and nephews and all their kids too. I pride myself in being the best Aunt Lynn that I can be. I do love staying connected with them. Maybe because I don't live close to them and so I try to keep a connection. Also when my mom died at such an early age (70) some of the grand kids, and most of the great grand kids missed out on having her around. So in some way, I guess I am trying to fill in the void that might have been left from my mom. She would have been proud of these kids, she loved being a grandma more than anything. Now that I am a Nana, I truly understand what she was feeling.

Of course I love being with Shirley (my sister-in-law), back in our college days, she was my roommate and one of my best friends. I thought it would be a good idea to introduce her to my brother and then if they hit it off and got married then... I could have my one of my best friends for my sister-in-law. It must have been a pretty good idea, because it worked! She has been with me through all my surgeries and illnesses. We laughed because we actually were going to get to see each other this time, without her having to nurse me back to health.
Also I have my son and daughter-in-law here too for the wedding and so that has been fun.

I am grateful for my family, and for the opportunity to share some of the special moments in their lives. I was so worried that my health would not hold up and that I would have to postpone the trip, like I have in the past... but I am here and everyone is watching me like a hawk. No one will let me even look the least tired before they make me lay down and so it has been a vacation.
It is weird though to see these kids as parents and parents to be now. It didn't seem that long ago that they were all playing at our house together and now they are getting ready to be parents or already are. Some times I can't believe that my kids are almost all grown up too? Where did that time go? Funny, because when they were little I wondered if I would ever live to tell about it and now it seems sooooo long ago.

I loved the comment from one father and husband who explained it like this when he and his wife celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary..."AS I LOOK BACK TO OUR BEGINNINGS, I REALIZE JUST HOW MUCH OUR LIVES HAVE CHANGED SINCE THEN. OUR BELOVED PARENTS, WHO STOOD BESIDE US AS WE COMMENCED OUR JOURNEY TOGETHER, HAVE PASSED ON. OUR THREE CHILDREN, WHO FILLED OUR LIVES SO COMPLETELY FOR MANY YEARS, ARE GROWN AND HAVE FAMILIES OF THEIR OWN. MOST OF OUR GRANDCHILDREN ARE GROWN, AND WE NOW HAVE FOUR GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN.
DAY BY DAY, MINUTE BY MINUTE, SECOND BY SECOND WE WENT FROM WHERE WE WERE TO WHERE WE ARE NOW. THE LIVES OF ALL OF US , OF COURSE, GO THROUGH SIMILAR ALTERATIONS AND CHANGES. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE CHANGES IN MY LIFE AND THE CHANGES IN YOURS IS ONLY IN THE DETAILS. TIME NEVER STANDS STILL; IT MUST STEADILY MARCH ON, AND WITH THE MARCHING COME THE CHANGES.
OPPORTUNITIES COME, AND THEN THEY ARE GONE. I BELIEVE THAT AMONG THE GREATEST LESSONS WE ARE TO LEARN IN THIS SHORT SOJOURN UPON THE EARTH ARE LESSONS THAT HELP US DISTINGUISH BETWEEN WHAT IS IMPORTANT AND WHAT IS NOT. WE NEED TO FIND JOY IN THE JOURNEY---NOW!" ~ Thomas Monson

I just got off the phone to Jeff and the kids, I am grateful that they were excited about me coming on this vacation, they know how much I love my family here too and so it has been a real treat. I am so blessed to have a wonderful family, they bring so much joy. I pray that I can remember to have Joy in the Journey and I also hope that I have taught that to my children. I really believe that we are meant to be happy, with so much sadness and worries in the world, I think that finding happiness can be lost along the way, if we are not careful. So that is my goal, to enjoy each moment, and let each family member know how much I love and appreciate them, although I have to admit I am missing Jeff and all the kids back home too.
Good night dear friends.


"In each family a story is playing itself out, and each family's story embodies its hope and despair." ~Auguste Napier

"Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family:Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one" ~ Jane Howard