We’ve spent the last four weekends with different clans of the family.  While I”m looking forward to my days off this week because I have absolutely no plans and expect to keep it that way, spending quality time with everyone has made it about the best month ever!  Dianne was back this weekend to visit the mother-in-law, Dave was down Friday night to help me hold the deck down with lawn chairs while “he” continued the lattice project on the side of the deck.  He and Dave put new tile in Avis’s bathroom during the day on Friday.  Last night Dianne, Dave, Christa, he and I and the critters had dinner at our house, lots of good conversation, then a movie and Dianne spent the night. 

I speak from experience when I say that a multitude of hurts can be healed with communication, understanding and perseverance.  I’ve not always felt like a welcome member of the family…lots of angst over the last 35 years but through it all we’ve all matured, we’ve all aged, non-birth members of the family (me) has figured out the family dynamics and knocked off the large chip that grew on my shoulder and it feels like they have figured out that while I was not born into the family, I sure was not going anywhere…I speak with experience when I say that it takes love and understanding on both sides to make it work..Did I mention maturing and aging and perhaps the biggest thing – respecting one another for who we are, what we want, where we have been and where we want to go!  I’m very lucky!

Until next time….