Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Family Time Kept Simple

My baby brother, Derrell and I drove in from Kansas, making it to my mom's house. After not seeing each other for over two years, it was so good just to see her face! She's lost quite a bit of weight since I last saw her, and I was struck by how small she looked. She's so much shorter than me, she always seems tiny to me really.

You never outgrow the need to see your mom, especially with that look on their face that says 'welcome home' before you hear it.

We gabbed and gabbed and then we gabbed some more; she immediately put on a pot of coffee; I've never understood how she can drink the high octane stuff and it doesn't seem to keep her up. I drank it too, hoping it would keep me awake - the time difference from PA to Colorado is always tough to get used to. Then late that night I sank into bed - a whole double bed to myself - pure bliss when you're traveling.

We made plans the next day for a family dinner at everybody's favorite mexican restaurant, with attendance optional, and everybody going dutch. I loved the hot tacorito, but I loved more looking around the table and seeing family gathered together. Dinner would be followed by gathering at Mom's place for banana splits, or ice cream sundaes - pick your poison!

Baby brother Derrell, and his better half - Stacey. Daughter Sabrina was not with us that day but I got to have dinner with her later in the week. What a sweetheart she is.

My older brother Gary, the one who built me playhouses, protected me from neighborhood dogs, and shared a bedroom with me for years when the house was too small to hold us all. He let me have the bottom bunk.

Dwain's wife, Rosanna, who holds down the fort while he works in Las Vegas.

My brother, Dwain's daughter, Jennifer had added a husband and two children to the mix since I last saw her! She got my brother's pretty blue eyes.

My nephew, Josh with Jennifer's youngest. She's got two under two! Josh is looking more like his Dad all the time.

I was so grateful everyone was willing to stop their plans and join us for the day, coming to where I was.

Mom and I would be leaving early the next morning to go see my sister, Barb and her family, so we headed to bed at a decent hour. The family get together was a good lesson in keeping it simple - everybody could come and go as they pleased, no dishes to clean up, no fussing with plans - just make the most of the time we had. A menu made up of mexican food and ice cream tends to get good attendance too!

4 comments:

Gretchen said...

Keeping it simple does require a discipline all its own, but it's so worth the trouble. I mean, it's hard not to fuss, right? But no one wants to see a harried, frazzled friend/family member for a short visit and have it be rushed. THis is great.

Susanne said...

Now that is the way to have a good reunion! You're family sounds so nice!

Janae Gibson said...

Thank you for adding these pictures of famiy members that I have yet to meet! I loved looking and reading about your trip. We have to make that trip one day!!

Jen said...

I love that look my mom gives me without even saying a word...that says..welcome home..you have been gone too long.....its priceless.