In Which There Is Family Time

And perhaps it is true in life that at some point, all roads lead to home.

My husband and I visited my family back in February, but then the coronavirus quarantine hit in March. And we were locked down for a while and unable to go visit them. I felt extra bad about missing Mother's Day, but things were what they were, and we wanted to take every precaution.

We talked about risk, and how comfortable we would be with visiting my elderly parents. And we decided that we would go visit them on Father's Day, which is typically very close in time to the 17th of June, which was my parents' 70th wedding anniversary.

So it was that Sunday afternoon found us hopping into the car and making the trek down route 322. We got to celebrate Mother's Day and Father's Day and Happy Anniversary all at once, on what was pretty much a classic June day.

I was fortunate in that I saw most of my siblings. Those who were able to travel, did so. Pat is in assisted living now, so she didn't make it; I don't think visiting is permitted there yet. When it is allowed, we will go and see her too.

And Barb has passed on to the Next Place now, and is busy, out walking barefoot with Jesus. But the rest of us were there. You may see a photo of those of us who are left above.

standing: Anita, Robin, Julie
sitting: Dad, Marilyn, Mom

My mother is losing her vision in both eyes, but the right one seems worse. So she was very worried about having to go for tests on Monday, and eventually in the coming few weeks, two laser surgeries, one eye at a time. If you have a minute to spare to lift up a prayer for her or a stray beam of goodwill, we'd very much appreciate it on her behalf!

The headstone had been placed on my big sister Barb's grave a few months ago. They decided to put the poem that Barb wrote about our family (yes, I am the "Nita" in the poem) on the tombstone itself, which was very cool.

I had not visited it yet and so my husband and Tiny Tiger and I went to see. We spent a few quiet minutes in the graveyard at St. John's church near the spot where my own bones will someday lie, among the green and shady hills, under a clear blue summer sky.

Barb's birthday was in early June, and most years we'd be going on an Atlantic City beach adventure right about now. I brought along one of the last seashells we picked up there as a tiny gift to leave on her grave. You may see all of that in the extras.

So it was a day for family, at long last. It felt good to be together, and strange to have been so long apart. Here is a song for all of that: Pat Benatar, with Let's Stay Together.