Struck

It is amazing to me that when tragedy strikes the people I love, I would drive across the country (if I had to) to be with them.

But when I have a chance to go home for a family dinner or someones birthday, I complain about the distance or the fact that the kids act crazy in the car or that I have to stop 3 times on a 1.5 hour trip to nurse and for potty breaks...

It is quite pitiful of me really. My family is the most important thing to me on this earth, they always have been. That is how I was raised. When I was growing up we had 2 family dinners a month... Yes, 2. Sometimes we made it to both, sometimes we didn't. But I got to see my very close extended family on a very regular basis. My Mom has a gaggle of brothers and sisters. She was raised in a big family and they are always so fun to be around. So I know why it was always important for us to make as many family dinners as we could.

Everyone is grown now, all starting their own families and moving away. Most of us live in the Eastern US, and a few of us travel all over with jobs. So it makes it very hard to get together with people in college and other states. The new normal for us is mostly holidays. Oh, how I wish things could be as simple as they were when I was a kid. They are not, I have my own brood and most of my family members are busy with their own as well.

I hope in this next year that I make for sure to make surprise visits home and remember not to complain about little things. You never know when that visit with someone you love might be the last.

This is my SIL and my sweet niece, Ella Gracin. I got a ton of time with them and it was AWESOME!

Here is the mystery man, my Dad. He is ALWAYS behind the camera. There are very few pictures of him and this one is special to me because he is holding my sweet boy, Miles.

Miles got to attend the service, but Mason got to spend the day with Nana- they had a blast.

I want to say a huge thank you to everyone for your prayers for my family during this very painful time. Saturday was emotionally taxing on everyone. Also a BIG thank you to Curt's Mammie. She has been an awesome support outlet for me since we have moved here. She dropped everything and brought me some stuff to try on to wear to the funeral, she offered to watch the boys all weekend while I spent time with my family. She really is a super woman and she deserves a post of her own- I am sure she will get one soon.