Mother's Day and More...FAMILY!!

Lyn's blog (http://berlinami.blogspot.com/)which retold the story of our family miracle -- Mother's Day, 1996 -- brought back all sorts of memories.

Of course, I'll never ever forget the miracle of Tim's recovered memory on that Mother's Day. How COULD some new, unsupecting couple sit in OUR pew this morning??? But it was easy to praise the Lord for that, none-the-less. It's been 11 years...

We celebrated Mother's Day with calls & flowers from Jill & Torrey and then a trip to Weber Grill to have Tim serve us there for the last time. We've come a long way from burnt toast as breakfast-in-bed to stellar service at an upscale restaurant in the Chicago suburbs. OTOH, we didn't have to pay for the burnt toast....nor leave the most excellent server in the entire US of A a hefty tip!

Our first visit to Weber Grill was a suprise one last Father's Day -- That was Tim's fourth day of serving. Our last visit -- today, Mother's Day.....just less than one year later.





But I digress....

Family. How God has blessed us!

On Friday night we went to a graduation party for my cousin Bruce. He finally, after over 10, long, arduous years, received his PhD from Northern Illinois University. Bruce lived with us part time while he was getting his master's from Wheaton College in preparation for going on for his advanced advanced degree from Northern. What a WONDERFUL visit we had with Bruce and his family -- all three children were there -- two from Tacoma WA and one from Houston TX. Bruce has always been one of my favorite cousins from my father's side -- how many are there? 60 or so? And of all 60 cousins, he and I have connected off and on more than I have with anyone else, with the possible exception of his sister Vonnie. Vonnie is 6 months older than I; Bruce 6 months younger. All of us, of course, are less than -- um -- 40....ish...well...50...ish...well....let's just say, we are under....



Since Retta, his wonderful wife is from the Incredible Land of Oz, I count on them to supply me with Vegemite. (Vegemite, in case you are interested and don't know, can no longer be imported into the US because it has -- gasp!! -- folic acid as an additive. The US has stated that Only Certain Approved Foods can have added folic acid. Vegemite is not one of them. Never mind that dietary folic acid can decrease the risk of neural tube defects (and possible Down Syndrome) in unborn babies -- but the FDA, in their infinite wisdom has determined that Vegemite (made by Kraft, I'll have you know) can no longer be imported for sale.)

Their daughter, Michelle, was a freshman at Taylor when Torrey was a senior, and was a senior when Tim was a freshman.

FAMILY!!

Again, I digress.

The celebration was held at a church where Bruce functions as one of the pastors. Bob was looking around for people he knew from that area, but -- it was someone I knew instead. Sarah's husband is the worship pastor for that church. Sarah is the daughter of one of my friends -- she double dated with Torrey for Junior Prom -- and I've been her lactation consultant for at least one of her three babies -- she doesn't need me anymore; she has the breastfeeding thing down pat.

My cousin Ben -- first cousin on my mother's side -- and his wife Liz -- will be staying with us for a night the end of next week. Ben is (to put it in words of one syllable) a missionary in Korea. It will truly be a treat to have him here.

When Tim and I were spending some required Mother's Day Mother-Son bonding time together today I was telling him how blessed I was to have three amazing children that were beyond compare -- and that loved their mother. And added to that, I was blessed to have three siblings -- two sisters and a brother -- all of whom love each other (spouses & children too!!) -- and how triply blessed I am to have cousins -- extended family -- also a gift from the Lord. My cousin Ruth (Bruce's sister -- "Cuz Nuz Ruth") keeps all of us on my dad's side together through her amazing online publication of a monthly newsletter -- "Cuz Nuz".

Thank you dear Lord, for all these wonderful people that you have given to me...a Happy Mother's Day and Father's Day to all of them....and to You too!