Long Weekend

So it's a long weekend. Memorial Day. First I would like to extend my thanks to all the brave men and women who have given so much so that we remain free. We are blessed to have people who are willing to risk everything to protect us here in the United States. I am grateful for their service.

Holidays such as Memorial Day that are marked with an additional day off from school and work are often marked by family gatherings, cookouts or parties. It's a time when many families celebrate the unofficial start to summer. Years ago, many years now... over 10 years ago we would have been spending this weekend enjoying the company of our parents. I'm certain there would have been a cookout at both my Mum's house as well as at Richie's Mum's small mobile home. I would have been very pregnant with 'n' at the time yet delighting in the food and festivities of family. I miss those times. I miss the connection with close family. I miss my Mum, my MIL and my Dad.

While I love the summer and the free time that comes with the season the change into this season marks the beginning of the remembering. In my mind I think 'well it was 10 years ago in August that we lost Ma(R's Mum) and then just 5 months later that my Mum passed. Now we continue to not only process those losses but also the loss of my Dad this past December. The summer was his favorite season. He loved the heat. The hotter the better for him. Not so for me but he would basque in the warmth of the season. When I think back to my childhood I remember summertime being a time when family (Aunts and Uncles and sometimes cousins) would either stay in our extra rooms or rent little cottages down the street. There would be trips to the beach, lobsters and other yummy food and many, many exciting hands of Wist! Oh those were the days. I wish that I could create memories like these for my children.

We will create our own small family summertime memories. They will be small but mighty. It is like writing on a clean page of a new book.

Peace!