After being on Active Rain for a tad over 4 years, I consider this place as a second family and a second home. There are a dozen or so that I have gotten to know over the last 3 years who I would consider like immediate family, which holds a special place in my heart. I will get to see a few of them come this Monday & Tuesday. AR gathering Monday the 29th & AR RainCamp the 30th. But most of all, what has become very special, is my immediate family.
For many of you that know, I am still single with no kids. But I have one sister who has been blessed with 6 kids. Yes, you heard me right, 6 kids. And she and my brother-in-law have given the Brady Bunch a run for their money. But most off all, I have been very blessed to still have my parents around.
All I can saw is that we have been very lucky in this department. Growing up as a kid and even in my 20's & 30's, I never always felt appreciative of a close family and sometimes took them for granted. I see all around me those who have one parent left or no parents left, when celebrating the holidays such as Thanksgiving, a time when we are suppose to be Thankful. Yet this is a holiday that is once a year, when we should be grateful and thankful 365 days a year. Just last year in June, my dad had a scare and had to have emergency surgery due to a bload clot outside of his brain. A month later, my uncle which was my dads brother, was killed in a biking accident at the age of 56. I just saw my aunt, my uncles wife, at a Belonger family reunion back in August. This past May, I lost my grandmother, my mom's mom, who I was looking forward in seeing this past August. And the week prior to going to Wiscosin for the family reunion, my aunt died at the age of 65. Lastly, just a month ago, my mom started to have tests because they had found some cancer. Luckily we just got news last week that everything came back negative.
Overall... I can just say that we have been blessed. I told you all that my sister has 6 kids, 3 of which are adopted. Long story, but she couldn't have kids and adopted Katerina and Johnny. Then actually had Andrew and felt sorry for Kat, so they adopted another girl, Alisha. Well, 2 1/2 years ago, unexpectedly, my sister had twins. So they still get to grow up with my parents, as their grandparents. Something else that I am very grateful for. (ages - 12, 12, 8, 6, 2 1/2, 2 1/2)
The point being is that so many of us get in a hurry, focus on our jobs, our lives, yet we sometimes take our families for granted. What I was very thankful for on this day, was that we were all together again, enjoying each others company. I have been blessed in this department per se and my thoughts & prayers go out to all of those that have lost loved ones in the past. And my thoughts & prayers go out to those with loved ones overseas, keeping out Country safe.
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