And thank you for a house full of people I love. Amen. ~Terri Guillemets
Greg and I both come from large, extended families. Between birthdays, graduations, baptisms, holidays, and football we are lucky to have 4 or 5 weekends in the year that are completely obligation free. And no, that's not an exaggeration. If you want to get together, especially if you are out of town, please contact me well in advance!
While I have been known to complain about the constant gatherings, I am very aware of the blessings of a large family. A few years ago after I finished whining about the chaos of the holidays to an acquaintance, she said, "Wow. I can't imagine. It's just me and Jimmy on Christmas and that's it." I immediately felt like a total jerk. I can't imagine the holidays without at least 15 other people on any given day, lots of food, lots of messes, lots of noise and lots of love. I am indeed grateful that my boys are blessed not only with grandparents, aunts and uncles, but also cousins, second cousins, 3rd cousins, cousins who are so far removed that we can't remember exactly how we're related, if we are related at all, or if relation even matters!
Lots of families are close like ours, but lots are not. Many people have family all over the country, all over the world. We are blessed to have most of our family right here with us, and those who are not here always return for special occasions. We are blessed with a hefty support group, plenty of laughter, and enough love to carry us gracefully through every life event. Thank you to all of my extended family members! You truly enrich our lives!
Easter 2005. Someone should have told my dad that people under 5'5" should not stand in the back!
Rob, Monique, Dalann, Fred, Greg, me & kiddos. Outer Banks, 2010
Arizona. Megan's graduation, 2003
Christmas 2009. The teenage generation plays Tonk
Light up night, 2009.
The Williams Clan, 2008
Die hard Steeler fans, 2009
Santa loves his Sheehan women!
A toast to the new year, 2010/2011
My aunt Annie, me, Mom and my sister Megan, Outer Banks 2009
Mom's 50th birthday party. Mom, Caitlin, Betsy & Annie
Megan and me, Memorial Day 2006
2 comments:
I was discussing with a coworker last week about having a small family and the worries I have because of it. I have extended family, but we aren't close...not in distance nor emotion. So when my aunt, uncle and pap are out together, I worry. Because if something happened, it would just be me and Alex. Which is horribly sad especially for him. This fear is why I rarely go out by myself. If Alex was with them and there was am accident, I'd, quite literally, have no one left.
I'm sorry, Dorie. I truly can't imagine what that must feel like because my family has been too big to count since before I was born. It really is a blessing to be surrounded by so many loved ones. I have the best of everything - a big and close family, but at least the small family that you have is close and supportive. I know people who come from big families, but have all kinds of issues with each other, so much that they would probably be better off alone. I think that life is about embracing the blessings we have been given, and trusting that God has placed us in the exact circumstances that we need to thrive as individuals. You may have a small family, but you ARE loved!
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