Family

We have been so blessed with a great family. Tonight my two brothers came over for a family dinner. We try to make sure we get together at least once a month and this dinner is a great way to do it. Whoever hosts it cooks a dinner, someone else brings dessert, and the other family prepares a little family night lesson/activity. I was just thinking that it's really neat to be a part of a group where I can try out a new recipe for my company and not fret about if it will turn out or not -- if it bombs, it will just be the newest family joke (like the time I left the bananas out of the banana pudding!). Not only do I enjoy sitting around talking to my brothers and sisters-in-law, but the girls also have so much fun with the cousins. They are really good friends, and if we don't see them for a week or two the girls start asking about when we'll get to play with them next.

There were two special events tonight. Mike & Sherrie are babysitting a dog with the intention of seeing if they want to keep it, and so they brought Zoey with them. The kids loved her. It was nice to have a little entertainment to entice them out of the house so we could hear our conversation. =) And then there is baby Brenna. She is two months old and just so sweet and adorable. Hannah has not wanted to hold her until today. I think she was afraid of hurting her since the parents always make such a big deal of washing hands and sitting down and being careful with her head and things like that. But on the way home from church today Hannah mentioned that she was excited that Brenna was coming so she could look at her. I told her she could hold her if she wanted to, and she actually said that she did. It was so cute to see her face while she was holding and looking at the baby. She just had on the sweetest smile, and she said, "Mom, she is so pretty."

And it's really nice that Nate likes my family, too. His mom just came to visit us a few weeks ago, and it was so good to have her with us. Hannah even said today that she wished Grandma was still here. We wish we could be close to them too, but since we are so far away I'm glad that Nate can be comfortable with the family that we do have here.

There are plenty of times that I miss my mom, but I am certainly still taken care of (and being the baby of my family, I think I'll probably always need that). I have Eileen that I can still ask to proofread my school assignments or important letters, and even if I am terrible at calling very often every time I do talk to her I still feel just like part of the family. I have free babysitters with my brothers' families (perhaps not free because we return the favor, but when we do it just seems more like a playdate than babysitting). I can always call my sisters for recipes, and it's likely that they'll have the recipe card from Mom or Grandma White's recipe boxes. My uncle Billy even popped in the other day when he was around this area for business last week, and the girls were going crazy playing with him just like we always did as kids.

So, tonight I'm just feeling really blessed to have my family. So maybe I'll quit rambling and go spend some time with them.