Company

It was another busy week that was highlighted by a visit from my Aunt Carrie and Uncle Bill. They live in Eugene, Oregon, and have been on the road visiting family members for nearly three weeks. Last week they were in Oklahoma, and this week they are in Arizona. Carrie is my father's youngest sister, and she and Aunt Miriam are the only two left from the family (the older brothers--Uncle Dale, Uncle Ellis, and my dad-- are all gone now). We haven't seen Bill and Carrie since my father's funeral five years ago, so it was good to see them again and to have some time to visit. My cousin Roger and his wife Jean came out for dinner last night also. I enjoyed listening to Carrie talk about her memories of my dad and to hear her reminisce about her parents (my grandparents). This morning after they left I found myself considering how quickly life is going by. My grandparents are all gone, and the generation before mine (my parents, aunts, and uncles) are in the process of disappearing. In the not too distant future, we will be the oldest generation and our children and their children will watch us leave. My heart feels connected to the generations that have gone before me, and to the generations that come after me. I am grateful for the warmth and love of family, even if we don't see each other often enough.

Below standing are Carrie and Bill, and seated are Roger, Jean, Don, and me.