Family #AddJoy

When I set up the #AddJoy challenge, I had a list of topics that I wanted to cover. However, for now I’ve tossed the list aside because I am finding joy and want to share about topics that aren’t actually on the list.

For example, today’s post was going to be about how to save money. While I will probably post about that at some point, the theme that came through loud and clear for me over this past weekend was family.

DH and I went to his brother’s wedding out of state this weekend. The photo at the beginning of this post was taken during the ceremony. His brother’s two daughters performed it. I don’t normally cry at weddings, but this was so special. Even DH, who is normally gruff on the outside, was moved. Spending time with my sister in law, brother in law and new sister in law, nieces in laws, and father in law made me realize how much I’ve come to know and love this family over the past 10 years. And, of course, DH and I are our own family. I also came to realize how special our relationship is.

On Valentine’s Day we didn’t give gifts. We are not gift people. We figured that spending the money for driving four hours each way, the hotel, and stay at the winery were gift enough. But at breakfast on Sunday morning I left to use the restroom. When I came back, I realized that DH had ordered me a to go coffee. I can’t begin to tell you how much that meant to me. I LOVE my coffee. And he knew that I would need fortification for the ride home. That was a better present than a dozen roses.

After thinking about this on the drive home, I received a message from my sister that a woman from our home town passed away suddenly in the night. She had pneumonia. I don’t know all the details, but she was an otherwise healthy woman younger than my own mom (who is in her early 60s). We were all shocked. It hit my youngest sister especially hard because her daughter goes to preschool with the granddaughter of the woman who passed.

DH’s parents are older, so we have had to deal with health problems much more than with my own. But I know my time with my own parents is limited. Actually, we don’t know when we will be called to our eternal home. It has taken me a long time to understand this. I used to get really freaked out about the thought of losing someone close tome. I’ve lost grandparents, but my own parents or sisters would be even worse. Now, it still makes me sad, but I don’t pray that we will all go out in a fiery crash together.

Today’s #AddJoy challenge is to reach out to family and make a point to connect with them. Maybe it’s a Facebook message, maybe it’s setting up a coffee date, maybe it’s a phone call just to talk. Just do it!