After a recent Friday night Mexican Birthday Dinner out with my Grand-daughter Emily & her aunt(my youngest daughter) Stacey in Tuskawilla, I ended up staying overnight. Lazy breakfast + great family time enjoying a yummy oatmeal breakfast prepared by son-in-law Jeff in their lovely screened pool & patio area. Of course, also including my grand-dogs, Samson & Delilah, who are always a whole other tale/tails(!) in their own rights. I was even invited to watch Jeffrey, my grandson, at his football game that afternoon. 

On the drive home, I became pretty reminiscent about the nice weekend, as well as the recent 9 days in Idaho for my oldest grand-daughter, Rebecca’s, wedding.  We had great family time there as well. It was a blast! Everyone was filled with love and acceptance. I have some really awesome memories and feelings about that trip as well. 

So I spent part of yesterday thinking about some of the things I am grateful for… some of them a bit surprising, even to me!  This was started by my call from Susan (Rebecca’s mom)  who usually calls me on weekends, for a long or short catch-up call, loaded with love. Now that I have visited their home, I can really envision her sitting on her front porch, enjoying her coffee, watching Caleb & Evenrude (dog & cat: my other grand-critters) doing their usual romps in the yard. 

I always had animals around me growing up. Some were even pretty darn weird! Daddy was always bringing something home for me… that needed care, feeding, etc. The problem was, he provided little to no instructions about how to go about it. Now dogs or cats will usually let you know when they need to go out, or want to eat (which is most of the time!). Baby goat, calf, piglet, chicks, exotic songbirds, caged squirrel & other small mammals, etc. are not as direct. Looking back I often remembered feelings of frustration.

This weekend I had another point of view. My Daddy was pretty much on his own from a very young age, according to him. Once he settled in, he always had animals, frequently to the distress of several of his wives. My younger sister Barbara followed in his footsteps (with animals and gardening… not marriages). I realize now that in his belief system, animals were always a part of what he felt made up a home. I will never know now if it was because he had them or more likely wanted them all!

Since I read this quote below before my thoughts, it made me really think more deeply about them. In general, I've always felt I was a pretty positive person… a survivor with a sense of humor! Nothing usually keeps me down for long.  Loss of loved ones hits hardest. Yet everyone goes through it at some time.        

"See if you can catch yourself complaining in either speech or thought about a situation you find  yourself in.   What other people say or do, your surroundings, your life situation, even the weather. See if you can catch yourself complaining. For to complain is always non-acceptance of what is, and it invariably carries an unconscious negative charge.  So when you complain you make yourself a victim.  Either leave the situation,  change the situation or accept it. All else is madness." Echart Tolle: from The Power of Now

I think I have always understood most of this, or at least the first two options. But I now more deeply understand that with family, the third choice/point of view may often be the best one.  In fact, my favorite Aunt, who just turned 91 in August really lives that.  Dear Aunt Mickey only remembers the good things and times about all of us, and there is no sense in not agreeing with her.  ;-)

Make it a great and positive week!