Family Ties

After a wonderful five-day visit, my dad left this morning (accompanied by his wife) to return to their home in Florida. He arrived last Friday and then his wife drove on to visit her daughter in Tennessee. She returned Tuesday afternoon and after spending the night, they took off early this morning.

For those few days, my dad and I enjoyed one another's company, shared memories, laughed, ate, cried, watched movies, and talked--a lot. We reminisced about family vacations, Mother (who died nearly six years ago), other loved ones, and our upcoming move to Washington. We shared silly jokes, took drives around the town and looked at beautiful historic homes with their yards awash in full-bloomed azaleas, shared breakfasts at McDonald's, and discussed cheesecake recipes.

Most of all, however, we reaffirmed our love for one another and for my brother and sister, all our children and grandchildren, and for my mother. We tightened those family ties and reinforced the bonds of love and memories that keep families together, no matter how far we may be from one another or how seldom we can visit.

Thank You, Lord, for giving us this time together and for those loved ones, on earth or in Heaven, we call family.

Until the next time...