Family

What is stupid is that I have NO PHOTOS to support this installment-- no photos!! OF MY IMMEDIATE FAMILY!!! We really don't take pics of ourselves so much, which we like to discuss the badness of a lot, but don't seem to do much about!

I have been wanting to put in a little side note about how fantastic my parents are-- & all the wonderful, selfless ways they show their love for me! I was amazed this summer that my mom would literally bring herself w/in inches of sudden death just to help me upholster some chairs! Everyone tells me that soon I will understand this love, but at this time, all I can do is be humbled & touched by it-- & that the quantity is endless, as well as the conditions through which it is dispensed. To sum up, they are ALWAYS ready to help, to show up, to listen, to encourage, to teach me life-lessons, etc. They love my husband w/the same grace, & of course, they are so excited to love on this little baby (as am I!) as soon as he enters our world.

My nursery is FULL of family-- from my parents ALL THE SEWING to the animal prints on the walls, & I am thankful to have pieces of my grandmothers (the blue chairs were Mema's, the ric-rac on the bedskirt was Granny's) in there with him, too. As well as bits of Carole (Dave's mom)-- an R2D2 rug she made him in '78 (his guess) & she so sweetly gave us our crib, too. I need to gather something from his dad, too, & whatever it is, I know Little Poppy will be changed by the love that swells from his familial environment-- I just can't wait for him to be here!!

Dave's mom came & stayed w/us at the first of December & we had such a lovely time! She very sweetly helped me get my Christmas decorations up-- it wouldn't have happened w/out her! & we did some baking & had ourselves a mini-post-Thanksgiving feast :) It was lounge-filled & fun; we were thrilled she could come! We bowled on our Wii-- & I loved watching her & Dave do the canoe-race, too-- hilarious!!!

We spent a delightful Christmas evening w/Dave's brother's family in Boulder-- it was truly so fun! Little Ally (who is not so little anymore! You might remember her as the tiniest little flower girl at our wedding-- she's now almost 8!!) is so dear & Beth made the most delicious enchiladas!! It was great to get to be w/family, esp. for me since I was not with my parents, & it was just glorious. :) They told us that @ Thanksgiving everyone was busy figuring out when they're going to come see Poppy (& us!!) once he arrives-- I can't wait to see them all!!!

Sometimes posting seems a little bit strange to me-- it is hard to write w/purpose & keep it short @ the same time... I guess I am especially mindful of my family today as it is the 20 year anniversary of my sister's death. I CANNOT believe it has been that long. I can't believe God gave our family the grace to get through it all. I can't believe that God chose for me to be married to someone else whose life was literally forever changed by her death... It is hard to look back & think that we lived through that horrible change; that there were blessings to come from it that would change us even more.

I am so thankful for the 17.5-ish years that she was here with us. I remember so much about her that I hope to share w/this little baby about his Aunt Megan. I know we will see her again someday. I know she is full of life & love that I can't even understand right now. And above all, I know God is faithful to bring us all to Him in His perfect time.

Blessings on you all! Especially if you have a loss that makes this time of year harder-- He truly is the giver & sustainer of life-- of true, JOY-FILLED life :)