WhirlWind Weekend

There are always those people in your life who are special from the moment you meet them. For me one of those special people is my cousin Wendi. She isn't a blood relative rather she married into our family. From the day I met her we became friends and that friendship has lasted for over 30 years. We have shared all the joys and sorrows that life has dealt us both. Our kids call us "Aunt" when in fact we are cousins and for whatever reasons each of our kids holds a most special place in the other's heart. When I got the invitation to her son Eric's wedding, there was no question that I was going. Although it meant a 13 hour drive to TN, it was worth it. So at 6:00 am on Friday, my parents and I started our journey. The weather for the drive down wasn't the best, a lot of rain, fog and traffic tie-ups. The drive back on Sunday was perfect; bright sunshine. My favorite part of the the drive was through the mountains of West Virginia. I had no clue how beautiful WV is; so of course I am already planning to make a trip back there someday. As for the rest of the weekend,,,perfect! Eric and Mary's wedding was beautiful, and Wendi and I shared so many memories and laughs. Still can't believe our children are married; how did they grow so fast?

Family

Remember when you were a kid and your parents dragged you to all those family picnics in the summer? And all you wanted to do was stay home and be with your own friends? We couldn't understand how our parents could be so happy to see cousins, aunts, uncles; you know those people you only see once or twice a year? Then the teen years came and those cousins were actually quite fun to hang out with when the parents weren't around. Then the high school years flew by and everyone started going their own way, off to college working; meeting their spouses. Keeping in touch was at the holidays and summer picnics. We found out it was fun talking and catching up on each other's lives and where they were headed. Then it was wedding showers, weddings, and babies, and all of a sudden we were parents ourselves making us realize the joy of parenting and the importance of family. We now started planning those summer picnics and family parties so our kids could spend time with their cousins and get to know their aunts and uncles. And we were our parents saying "they are family and one day you will cherish these times". Then all of a sudden we are the grandparents and our children are now planning the family get together. Yesterday I was blessed to experience the full circle, 4 generations of family spending a beautiful summer day together. The youngest great grandchild being 3 months old while the man responsible for this wonderful family is now 82 years old!!!

End of Summer

Labor Day already and it certainly has been a short summer. The weather has been cool and rainy. I took Madison to the park the other night and the smell of fall was in the air. She is so excited about going to Kindergarten! Her joy about life in general is infectious; true is the saying to see the joy through a child's eyes is to see God's blessings on the world.

Rain....

The word vacation reminds me of warm sun, beaches and relaxing. You schedule the trip and then patiently wait for the big day to arrive. This year Daytona Beach was the destination; a week with my daughter, sister and niece. An ocean view condo, outdoor and indoor pools, restaurants and shops galore. The first day was awesome, hot and sunny. The rest of the days,,,cloudy and rainy! We did manage to grab the sun on the few occasions it made an appearance. So, being the true girls that we are, the malls and shops provided the needed sunshine for us. Relaxing on the off-shopping hours was wonderful, I was able to read 3 books while I was there. And the experience of sharing a week of fun with my family made it the perfect "sunless" vacation.

Next year? The hot, sunny, desert of Las Vegas!

Answers,,,,

Three years later the phone rings, and the question is "aren't you sick of this sh-t? Once and for all I want the answer to what that was all about. Even after all these years,,,,

Weekend....almost here

Mr. Darcy's passions is truly a great book to cuddle up to at night. Unfortunately after babysitting for my two little passions, Madison and Riley, last night, it wasn't long before I could hardly keep my eyes open. Mr. Darcy and his passions were put to bed quite early!

This weekend is one I have been anxiously awaiting. Tomorrow we will celebrate my upcoming 50th birthday. Hah! I used to think 50 was old, but now not so much. In some ways I feel very different, secure in who I am, my thoughts and my feelings towards others. And in other ways, I'm still just me! When asked about how I wanted to celebrate, my first thought was a party. I wanted it to be a celebration of hitting this milestone. After losing a brother and a sister to cancer when they were so young, aging was something I was looking forward to. My next thought was, family and friends. So thus the planning began, all done by my daughter. She is the party planner in the family and has organized and "directed" everyone in their duties. Even my 4 year old granddaughter is in on all the secrecy. So tomorrow at 4:00 my whole family; husband, children, grandchildren, parents, sisters, nieces, nephews, all my in-laws and my closest friends will be together. So "my party" won't be about me, but rather about the gift of family and friends sharing a night of love, laughter and of course great food!!

Ouch Ouch Ouch

Back pain on a rainy day.....why do they sound like they really belong together? Why, I have no clue, unless it has something to do with laying in bed reading for over 2 hours last night. I recently read a book by Charlaine Harris, yes the "Sookie" stories. At first I thought they were a bit lame, but I am always open to a new author. They are definitely a quick read, funny, a little dark and of course the romance. What's a story without romance right? I must say that after reading the Twilight series, it will be hard for any author at this time to write something that appeals to both adults and teens that can hold their interest for different reasons. Now of course the ultimate romance story, in my mind, would be Pride and Prejudice. Quite the contrast from the dark supernatual romances, but then it is Mr. Darcy and what girl doesn't want her own Mr. Darcy. So tonight the book of choice is all about Jane Austin's P&P through the eyes of Mr. Darcy.....

Half A Century

50 years old; that's for grandparents, old aunts and uncles, right? 50 years old, that's a half a century, and so far away. So much to do before then; work, raise my daughters, become an aunt, send my daughter off to college, cry at my daughter's wedding, and hold my precious granddaughter in my arms the night she was born. And now 50 years old is here, well almost, 6 more days to go. Then what? Do I feel different? In many ways yes, and in others not at all. So now for the next 50.....