Keeping in touch with Family, those we care about

I know we cannot go back, but wouldn't it be nice to relive a visit with my parents?
This is a rare photo of the siblings at my oldest brother's daughter, Cecilia's funeral in 1993. L to R, Robert, Marty, Maria, Charlie on back row. Carlos & Elena in front.
The sad thing is that there are only half of us alive and half have gone ahead. God bless them all.

Matt went with me to the funeral and it was the first time he had met his Uncle Charlie. The rest of the siblings don't remember him since he lived in California, and we in Utah. It was up to me to keep in touch with everyone and I did the best I could.


This last week I had a wonderful conversation with my younger sister, Linda. It really means a lot of have them call once in a while and just talk. I was actually in Washington on the second Saturday I was there.

I had taken the boys on a 'wild goose chase' via the GPS that didn't really compute to where I actually wanted to go. That is another story on another day back a few weeks. Anyway, I was near Issaqua, WA.

I had a couple of cousins who lived there last I knew. Well, I decided to call my sister to see what she knew on the latest on Norma and Nora, twins. She didn't answer, so I left a message. The next evening, Sunday, the boys and I went for another ride and were near Washington Lake. She called just as I was leaving that area and we talked all the way back to the house, which was the better part of forty-five minutes! We talked as if we hadn't had months since we last spoke, and didn't run out of things to say or talk about.

I love that about my sister. She has so much wisdom and I admire her insight too. I felt fed and uplifted by her exchange with me. We laughed and cried. It was amazing. Thanks, Linda. I know we are so busy with our own lives that since our parents have both passed away, going on six years, we have not seen each other since. It is just how it is with distance and life, right?

I just wanted to make note of how important that we (US) initiate the calls to one another. We have a calling tree and that works when there is something very important to inform, like an illness or incident. That way no one person has to make ALL the calls. I do with my own children at times, but the calling tree helps, believe me!

It is so easy to miss the two who live farther away. I do, and think of them daily. James, Michael's oldest called me, the other day to thank me for some treats I included in a small packet for his mother. I sent them from Seattle.

It makes my day when that happens. So remember, those of you who read this, that I LOVE IT when you call me. Even for no reason in particular, and just to see how I AM, is appreciated.

The blog helps keep us connected, and informed too. It is fun and especially when I have something really funny, or silly happen to me. It is good for me to laugh at myself too. IT is also nice to call Matt or Michael when no one else is available to help me with a computer problem. I know I am not the most literate when it come to MicroWord. Aaron and Candice were gone overnight last night, so I called Matt and was able to have him walk me through how to restore my 'toolbar' of all things.

I see the hand of God in my life when I have so many who are willingly there to help me through something as simple as the computer things. I do fairly well considering most people my age are freaked out about computer stuff. Not me! Going back to school in the mid 1990s really helped me be confident with my computer, that is of course until WordPerfect became extinct. I will leave it at that and not go there, so don't get me started!!! ;) I do make every effort to keep up with the times.