Family Ties...no not the TV show.

Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family. Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one.

~Jane Howard

One of my favorite quotes....


It seems that there are a lot of blogs that are of families...like, mom or dad made it to showcase those great kids of theirs.  I understand that it is a way to have family log on and read up on the family events and happenings....but it makes me think of how disconnected that truly is.  I know, I know...there is distance between family members, and grams and gramps aren't always nearby...and technology allows us to talk over the computer..., but I guess it makes me think that we, humans, have gotten really lazy with family.    I was raised with my two older cousins, on a farm with our Grandmother as the matriarch.  The uncles both had homes on the farm property and I would sit at the farm hose window waiting for my cousins to walk across the field to come eat and play.  My Grandmother was who brought the family together...for holidays, recitals, games, birthdays, anything that allowed her to tell us all to be around the dinner table together.  And no one dared to say no.  I wish that she was still here to do that for my family.  


It seems to be as though I am pulling teeth to get us together...all I can think of is "What if Grandmaw was here?"  It would be entirely different.   She would make it happen.  No one could say no.  I try to fill that space, but my family is really good at saying no. 


I made the holidays happen for the family this last year...I know that it would be so important to my Grandmother to have all of those great-grandchildren gathered on the floor opening presents.  How I wish she could see that.   I was so glad to see that...that excitement and awe of the presents and toys is so sweet, I can soak it all up like gravy with a biscuit.  Those children are my family's future.  It is so important to me.  


Maybe that is why I am in charge of the family reunions.  Maybe I am becoming the matriarch.  Hm, never thought of that. 


The one thing I can say - what will make me continue to push and pull to have us together...is my cousin Rob.  That night a couple weeks back, while all the kids were hollering and tugging on our hands to get on the floor a play, he looked at me.  Put his hand on my shoulder and said, "thank you, thank you for getting this all together"...just in saying that.. I know that he felt Grandmaw with us....he knew why I did it all...and made sure that those kids had the holiday they deserved as Grandmaw Margie would have wanted.