Family

I love family. I am so glad that my children have connection of their heritage. I just pray that family members always want to do and be the best for my kids. Growing up for me, family was different than most. My dad wasn't around much and my mom was the parent that I had for a long time. She started out as being a single parent and on welfare. But with help with a few individuals she worked herself off of welfare and was able to stand on her on. It also seemed like she was in college all the time. With all the college my mom has it could equal a doctorate in Early Childhood Education. She showed me that you had to work for what you want. To this day she still has a love for children and wanting to understand how they think. It is amazing that even when you retire that you naturally will go to what you know.
I know very little of my father. Just in this past year I have reconnected to my aunt, father's sister. She has shared something’s about my dad to me. Between my mom and her I know that my dad was very talented in painting and in art in general. That was a talent that I am glad has been passed down to me. My step-dad is a great man as well. He taught me that you work hard at something and you will get it. He also showed me that even though we weren't blood, that didn't mean that, we weren't family. Family sometimes is better when you don't have blood relationship at all.
Yesterday, my kids talked about various family members and what they love about them. Nathan talks about everyone, every day. But I have noticed that he is starting to get a love for Uncle Mike, Jonathan's brother-in-law (Rhonda's husband). He talked about how Uncle Mike loves his girls and that one day he will have someone to help him with his girls, a wife. Many people in the family hear that and get mad because they feel that if he does get married again, that the individual will take the place of Rhonda that passed away in November. Yeah, you could see it that way. Nathan sees it as a blessing for their family. A blessing for Mike and a blessing for his three girls, and only time will tell and God knows all things.
Savannah talked about her favorite friend of all, Maddie. She walked around the house with her pretend cell phone talking about what they are going to do and the plans for their future. One plan that she has is that they are going to college together. Never know, but it is exciting to see such love and understanding that those two have.
Abby, will she can talk just a little. Recently, her favorite person to talk to is her Aunt Rhonda. Wow, a two year old that remembers some of her Aunt. Last year in April, Rhonda finally got a doctor that would listen to her about the problems that she was having and found out that she had cancer. The fight was short and hard for her. She passed away in November, seven months. Especially at the end of her fight she had gotten closer to my children. We love her dearly and miss her daily. We have pictures of her around the house and Abby walks over to them and say, "My Aunt Rhonda." I look up and agree with her. She smiles and stares at the picture. It’s amazing.
For me, I have rebuilt a relationship with my mom after a few years of discord. The backbone for me has been my sister, Brianna. She always calls me and keeps in contact with me. We Facebook each other and we respect each other. I love the relationship that has been built through the years.
This was my day yesterday, thinking about family and see how family plays apart in my children and in myself. I pray that each individual in my family and in Jonathan's realize the importance of each other and try to stay part of my kids’ life. I have decided this year that we are not going to try to keep you part of our lives. If you can't respect the fact that we are on this earth then why bother. It is a two way door; I can go and try to stay in contact with you, visit you, and love you but, you have a responsibility to come to my door and try to have a relationship the same way.
Hope everyone has a good day. It looks good here. The kids are healthy and moving around and I have a full day of school, for myself and for my little homeschoolers. I am so glad that I have started using the computer as part of Nathan's schooling because he is doing so much better. But for him today, he is hitting the books. God bless you all.