E-X-T-E-N-D-E-D Family

As you know, I have a mother named Barbara...

     ...who, as you may not know, has a sister named Joyce...

          ...who has a husband named Jay...

               ...who has a sister named Betty.

That's her, holding Moriah this morning.

Betty has a son...
     ...who married a girl...
          ...who has a mom named Gail (who, by the way, has the cutest burp cloths and so forth in her Etsy shop...if I get to have another baby, I want to shop here.).  :)

That's her, in the back beside Josiah.

Betty and Gail might not be considered to be our family in the strictest sense of the word.  But who cares?  We'll claim 'em anyway.  :)

They happened to be traveling through our area on their way back to (cold!) Ohio from (warm!) Florida, and we were THRILLED to learn that they would be arriving around dinnertime on Thursday and would be willing to pause on their trek to spend the night with us.  Just so you know, none of us had ever met Gail, and the last time I saw Betty in person was so long ago that I can't even remember it.  However, Betty and I had connected through Facebook a little while back, and I had begun to feel a real kinship with her, helped along by our mutual affection for the family members that connect us.  Having her here in our home felt so natural, and I could tell that my kids quickly picked up on that--especially Moriah, who is not always quick to befriend strangers (a shy smile is OK, but giving them a hug is quite another!).  As soon as Betty walked through the door yesterday evening, I gave her a big hug; and immediately Moriah went to her and held out her arms to be picked up.  Then this morning, before Betty and Gail left to continue their journey homeward, Moriah kept wanting Betty to pick her up.  I have a sneaking suspicion Betty didn't mind in the least.  ;-)

Betty and her husband Bill (who will hopefully come along for the next visit) :) knew my parents way back when, and it was a JOY to hear Betty tell some of her memories of those days.  Getting fresh glimpses into who my parents were as young people means more and more to me as the years go by--and as my mother's memory fades.

Betty and Gail were the easiest kind of guests to have.  They jumped right in and helped in the kitchen, chopping tomatoes, washing lettuce, doing dishes, and even (this makes me smile) scrubbing my stove top (Gail did that, and then later said, "It occurred to me that that might have offended you.  Did it?"  I laughed and laughed and assured her that it did not.  As a matter of fact, I encouraged her to come back in another six months because I was sure it would be in need of her cleaning touch by then.)  :)  Betty brought some little gifts for all of us (even though it was an impromptu visit, she managed to pull that off!) which delighted the boys--and me, too, every time I look at the beautiful "Love Grows Here" plaque she gave me.  :)  They both dealt so graciously and warmly with the energy and antics of my children, which is no big surprise because they both have lots of children and grandchildren and know what it's like to have rambunctious youngsters around.  :)  Betty even smiled during David's bunny ears this morning.  :)  They were exactly the kind of guests I'd like to be.

It's a funny thing: I think it was last weekend when I found my thoughts jumping ahead to the beginning of March.  Ah, March!  Month of springtime, of flowers beginning to bloom, of warmer temperatures, of new life.  I was so ready.  But then I felt like the Spirit of God whispered gently to me, "Don't waste this last week of February."  That made me pause.  "OK," I decided, "I'll try my best not to waste it.  But what does that MEAN?"

Looking back, I believe that God was preparing me to pour out my time and energy on what matters most--that is to say, people--because, during the past three days or four, I've had more "people time" than I probably had during the whole month and a half preceding.  "Those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed," Proverbs 11:25 tells us; and you know, it's true.

I am refreshed.  And I am grateful.  :)