"Stuff"`
We had our first family reunion on my Mom's side yesterday. Well, not the first, but the first one in like 30 years. So, basically the first. There was about 60 of us I imagine. We ate and visited and caught up and laughed and sang kareoke and laughed and cried.My cousin Lyle Jr. wrote a very touching thing (making me cry) about "Stuff." He wrote about how his wife had been on a medical mission to Africa and about appreciating the comforts of home. He wrote about how he had "stuff" like a boat and fishing poles and hunting things that just waited for him to use them. He went on to say how we lose sight of our families and replace them with stuff. And what we wouldn't give for another afternoon with his Mother, Bill & Pearl (my parents), Arvin (uncle) and Kelly (cousin). How we're basically not promised tomorrow so don't wait to say the things you need to say an don't wait to tell your family, no matter how far away, or how extended, that you love them. He got kind of choked up and paused as he read. I of course just cried. He's so right about that "stuff."
The drive home (by myself) was quiet and a time for reflection I guess. I thought about my parents and my grandparents. I thought about prettiest cousin and the recent loss of her brother. I thought about OS and I wasting so many years being angry at eachother and what a good time she and I had visiting and laughing at the reunion.
I thanked God for my friends and my family. Where would I be without them? Who would I be? I can't imagine my life for one minute without them. Any of them. Good, bad or otherwise, I love them all.
It was good to see everyone for something fun. We tend to not stay in touch unless there's a death. How stupid is that? We always say we'll stay in touch, we'll write or call, we'll this or that, and we don't. We replace it with stuff.
I cleaned house and cleared up some old junk. I intend to decorate my house with pictures and memories instead of stuff. Not that everything is junk, but I want my family around. I want pictures of cousins and sisters and kids and aunts and uncles. I want pictures from when we were young to now that we're grown. The faces of those who make up some part of who I am. Will I ever buy more stuff? I imagine so. But it will never replace the family I've been blessed with.
Alrighty, now that I've gotten that off my chest...
I made the rest of the wedding mints and made the unity candle. I made 4 sheet cakes. I decorated the candle holder thingy-ma-jiggers. Overall, things are coming together. Thank goodness since I'm down to under 5 weeks now. Invitations are the next thing. Hope to have them done in a couple weeks or so and then addressed and OUT.OF.HERE. by the 2nd week of July. Lordy that's coming every so quickly.
I bought 24 cartons of cool whip, 24 cans of mandarin oranges, 24 boxes of orange jello and 19 bottles of bbq sauce. I still have to buy 75 lbs of red potatoes and 75 lbs of pork. Sherbert for punch and the fruit and angel food cake for the chocolate fountain.
The wedding dress is in being altered and she'll press it and keep it for us until the day before the wedding. She'll rent us a slip for $5 so we don't have to buy one. Bless that womans heart!
I got my shirt and my boots and I'm geared for cuttin' a rug. I even have a date. I have met someone new although nobody knows it. It's my best kept secret at this point. I'll spring my family on him soon. :) He's offered to help with any wedding projects that I might need. I told him that I'll be needing someone to keep me from killing the brides family and the grooms dad. And, I'll need a dancin' partner. I told him I bought and paid for this shin-dig and I intend on getting my moneys worth in the good time category. He's game. Boy is he brave! :)
He's a divorced dad of 2. A boy and a girl. Boy is 16 and girl is 14ish? Yesterday when I called him, his son was teasing him as we were chit-chatting, about talking to a girl. How sweet is that? I reminded him that his son was 16 and the girls would soon come-a-callin' and he'd have EVERY opportunity to get even!
On that note, I'm headed to the shower and to bed. Tomorrows a 2-job day. But, for being safe, we can wear jeans all week at job 2! yeah for me yeah for me. (doesn't take much to make me happy huh?)
Have a super week ladies!
� grizmom at
2006-06-18
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