Part Two. Family.
This summer my Uncle Leo Unser passed away. The sermon at his funeral made me think. This is Part Two. Here is the link to Part One. Farm. http://wp.me/p6dMdu-3f
Family. Yes Uncle Leo was all about his family. Yes I feel like I am too.
I am the youngest of eight kids. For a larger family, we all still get along fairly well.
I’m almost 40. For the last 30 years when I’ve left my sister Valerie’s farm near Glen Ullin, ND I’ve shed a tear or two.
My sister Valerie was the first of my siblings to get married and the first to make me an Aunt. My first niece, Whitney and I are 10 years and 11 days apart in age. I spent some time the first several summers of her life at their farm helping out with the baby or chores or the huge garden. Mom, Dad and I would make trips for birthdays and other special occasions. Valerie and her husband were dairy farmers they milked cows twice a day every day) and didn’t make it home to SD much. Dairy cows require 24/7/365 care and attention. Dairy herds follow a routine and if that routine changes much it can affect their milk production. Instead, we traveled there.
As a kid I remember leaving there and silently shedding a tear or two. I was young and I missed my sister. And my niece. It was hard to understand why we couldn’t see them more often or why it was so hard for Valerie to come home.
Perhaps that is why I am so passionate about agriculture. I know what sacrifices farm families make…and they aren’t easy. Perhaps that is why it really is nothing for our family of four to hop in a vehicle and drive four hours one way for a weekend visit.
Maybe we are crazy.
Maybe it costs money to drive all the time.
Maybe some memories are worth the cost of crazy and cash.
What I do know is I try my best to make it to graduation parties and weddings and bridal showers and baby showers. Life is short. Too short. I’ve said before that the good time memories are what get you through the not good times in life.
A few weekends ago we drove the 240 miles to Bismarck for a Farm Bureau meeting and a baby shower for my great-niece baby Kate.
My Rockstar loves babies. He enjoyed some precious cuddle time with Baby Kate.
We got home late Sunday night. Monday we were tired. BUT….my boys had the chance to play with their second cousins.
My Rockstar entertaining his 2 year old second cousin. Not sure who had more fun!
They got to see their first cousins. They saw Grandma J. They saw their aunts. They asked when we can go back and stay at Aunt Valerie’s farm. They made memories.
I made it a long way….all the way to Fargo before the tears hit. Whitney sent some pictures of the day and a simple thank you. Then it hit me.
How grateful I am for the supportive spouse in driving across ND for events. How awesome it was to see my boys with their cousins and second cousins. How I love my Rockstar and his super insightfulness. He said when we left Glen Ullin that it would be super awesome if everyone could be together for Christmas someplace. Wow. Words I used to think and speak. Don’t misunderstand we have had lots of times with everyone together. You see when you get together and great memories are made, it becomes addictive…and you want more…and more.
My boys are addicted. So I am. Addicted to making memories. Addicted to having fun with cousins and second cousins and aunts and uncles and other extended relatives.
Why the tears? Because I feel like some family members are missing out. When you find something great in life you want everyone to have it.
Grandma J is 82. We may have a year left with her or twenty years. Only the good Lord knows. I just hope that we pull off another great get together with everyone while she is still here.
Grandma J at her 80th Birthday Party in 2014. Missing just one grand-daughter here. Since this time, she has added two great-grand-daughters with another due any day.
Life is short.
Get addicted and make some awesome memories.
Family. Take time to enjoy yours.
MomWifeWhatAboutMe 