My Family

I love my family. And not just the little (or not so little) nuclear Me and hubby and kids part. My parents, grandparents, nieces and nephews and cousins.... even siblings are some really wonderful people.

Growing up, my Dad and Mom were always taking in "strays". Dad would come home one day with some person who needed a hand up, and for awhile, we would have a new person stay with us.
Right now, my Mom is at her cousin Ruth's house, managing Ruth's cake shop, so that Ruth can spend time with her grand daughter Amanda. (Please continue to pray for Amanda. She is still not conscious, and we have not heard the results of the tests indicating whether her life is just a technicality.)
Mom is always so thoughtful and caring of people, friends and family alike.

I was pretty close to some of my cousins, growing up. At Seneca's birthday party a few weeks ago, I realized that my kids never spent much, if any, time with my siblings children. Two of my nieces were at the party. Six of my seven kids were there, as well as my Mom. My kids and their cousins have spent more time together as adults than they got to as children. They decided that they will continue to get together as often as they can.

I was just marveling last night at how my 'immediate' family is pulling my own siblings back towards "my" family. Mostly thanks to my DIL Seneca, who goes about trying to save the world, one person at a time. Seneca is the person who reached out to niece LR during her pregnancy, offering encouragement and support. When LR decided on her own to put up her baby for adoption, Seneca called on family first. Now LR's baby is my #2 son Bill's daughter.

My niece TD is the oldest of my siblings' children. She is a nurturer. She visits Granny ( her great- granny) more often than anyone in our family, except my Aunt Jean. TD's apartment is across the street from the nursing home where Granny lives. TD has custody of her nephew, Cris. My niece TN has given birth twice, but not been responsible for either child afterwards. TD is attempting to adopt Cris, and would gladly take his sister back in if she could. TD is a frequent friend at Chris and Seneca's house. It was there that TD met a life-long friend of Chris and Bill, CL. It seems that some sparks were there... and now CL will be part of our family as well.

It is sort of like a net, our family. We are held together, many individual strands of twine. We spread out, but our strong knots hold us together. In places we are ragged, and in places we are mended. There is always room for another strand to be tied in and become an integral part of the net. It is a safety net- there to catch you if you fall. You may break away... but the ties are still there, waiting for you to come back and be part of the net again. Some of our strands may never meet... but if you follow the knots, we are still connected within our net. There are new strands woven through and knotted in. Some strands break away and leave gaping holes in our heart.
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Oops. I had more to say- but time has gotten away from me. I should be out the door in less than ten minutes, and I'm sitting here in my pj's.
Have a blessed day!