Tomorrow, my siblings, their spouses, me and my spouse and some of our kids will gather at my brother’s for dinner. I’m really looking forward to it. I think it’s been two years since I’ve seen some of them. It seems that the fact that most of our children are adults or near that, we all spend a lot of our free time and our energy staying connected with our kids, making it very difficult to stay connected with other family members who mean so much to us.
Because of that, I have been scurrying to finish the last two memory books – Mike and Kevin have had theirs for quite a while, I have Joellyn’s done, and hope to have Pat’s done by the time I get in the car tomorrow afternoon.
The compilation of a small book with family photos seems like an easy task. But I’ve also included some of our stories. And, frankly, I’m glad the task will soon be over. One reason the job has taken much longer than it should have is that it is draining to me emotionally to remember, and record the stories. I loved my Daddy, all of my grandparents. I loved the happy life we lived on Lincoln Avenue and at the store on University Avenue and when I look at all of those photos once more, I just want it all BACK.
The logical side of me knows that I can’t have my cake and eat it, too – I can’t have my childhood back, and even if I could, then I wouldn’t have my beautiful kids and that beautiful daughter-in-law, and of course, sweet little grandbaby Ada.
But my heart still aches for a hug from a man in a clean white apron. So, I’ll be finishing the albums, check to make sure all of the photos have been scanned, distributing cds, and calling this project done. And thanking the Dear Lord for the beautiful childhood that I was fortunate to have.
