Family

The last three days of holidays.......
well, we cleaned the house on Friday. Like we vacuumed, swept, washed floors, bathrooms are clean, garage got done, etc....... but, how long will it last?? Should be done again today probably! :-)
Saturday, I took Jayde to hockey tryouts. 35 minute drive down the road. One hour skate in the morning, 3 hours of down time, and then another hour skate. Del & Kyle went to town for parts and then Del worked on fixing, with Rol coming to give him a hand. Thanks, Rol. At 5, my Friesen family met at my parents for supper. Not everyone could make it, but the locals here did, as well as my sister and her kids made it. It was very relaxing. A little odd. First get-together since Kate's passing. In a way its easy to ignore it and pretend like maybe she's busy somewhere else, but then it hits again, and she's just not there!! We did have an enjoyable time together. Certainly more emotional. Good-byes get more meaningful!
Sunday, we all went with Jayde as he had a 1 1/2 hour skate/scrimmage. This was a look see/tryout for a AAA hockey team for the region. All players are assessed and told what to work on for next year, as the team is comprised of kids that are 15 and up. You have to be darn good to get a place at this age. So, Jayde was given his instructions on what to work on. Skating, as always. Then he was told he's a 'gritty' player. What does that mean?? It made me laugh. I guess it means he's the kid who : hits/checks his friends during scrimmage, flails arms and legs when hes down, hates to lose, ....... Wonder where he gets it from??? Yeah, he loves the game. Wish he was that 'gritty' with other things too. Great experience for the kids to skate with other kids of the same age in the region. Instead of playing against each other, they get to know each other in a different way, develop friendships/relationships, and learn how to play hard with and against each other on the ice, and be friends off the ice.
After Jayde was done, we went to Roger & Anita's for the afternoon. My cousin was out from a couple hours away, and had come with her family. My parents were there as well. Had a wonderful afternoon, re-acquainting with her. For those of you who don't know the story-my mom was raised in a difficult, unstable home. She was the oldest of many children, and when she was 13, all the children were removed from the home and placed in seperate foster homes. She had one brother who got to stay with his father. Her parents had issues and had seperated as well. All the foster homes were Mennonite homes. My mom married very young, and had her siblings all spend time in mom and dads home, throughout the years. She was like the 'mother' of the family, as her birth mother didn't fulfill that role. So my mom and all her siblings have had to deal with many issues through the years, including siblings that they hadn't known they had originally. My mom also had sister who was diagnosed with Schizophrenia as a young woman. This was after she had married, divorced, given up children for adoption, had another baby she kept........yeah, long story. She died suddenly about 6 years ago, from a heart attack. Anyway, the cousin who we visited yesterday, was her daughter. She married 15 years ago to a wonderful man, has 3 beautiful girls, and is doing quite well. She helps other struggling young girls who are having trouble during their teen years. How fitting, hey??

This spring/summer has been rather interesting regarding extended family. Needless to say, my parents siblings (both sides), are not close. But this years events seems to have awakened that extended family, and I have 're-united' with aunts and cousins I haven't seen/heard from in years. Pictures and emails have been passed around, and years of 'absence' have been talked about. Now just to plan an actual, physical get-together. We discussed this yesterday and laughed about the possiblity of it. would it actually work?? Could the family meet and get to know each other again? It's probably been about 23 years since my moms family has been together. And that wasn't everyone either. Hmmm, it will need alot of thought!

It's hard for me to imagine my siblings and I becoming like that. But, it could happen, if we don't put effort into it and appreciate the time we have together. Families don't stay together by themselves. Family isn't self-chosen, it's what you're born into. You don't have to think the same, you don't have to look the same, you don't need to do the same things, but you're still family. Respect and acceptance because that's what family needs to stay together.
When I logged in today, I didn't realize I had these serious thoughts inside. I thought, what will I write about??? And then I got carried away on my tirade of family. I have to add, I have a wonderful family. I don't really fit into this family. I'm emotional, I love to talk, I don't look like them, I embarrass them all time. (Maybe I'm adopted??) But, anyway, I love my family dearly. I have two brothers, with their wives, a sister, and a bunch of nephews and nieces, with one great nephew and one great niece. They're an amazing group of people, with awesome personalites and talents.
And of course, my husband and boys-they're the best. I love them so much! I am truly blessed!
Ok-everyone, tell your families how special they are. Love them, hold them close when you can, let them go when you have to.
I'm back to work tonight, 3 nights in a row. Great. Stay safe!!