Memories!!

Yesterday, I took a walk down memory lane.  My mom passed away last August.  My brothers, sister, and I have all had a hard time dealing with all the ins and outs of her death and have not spent much time together since.  Actually, my sister and I have and I think my brothers have some, but the four of us have not been together once since she passed.  Anyway, I invited my dad and step-mom, and all my siblings over yesterday, including my brother and sister from my step-mom and dad.  With everyone and their families we had 28 here (this was without my sister and her family and several nieces and nephews and their families).  I spent the day cooking chicken enchiladas, refried beans, mexican rice, guacamole, and Drew made his famous salsa.  My youngest sister Sarah (20) is pregnant and just found out what the baby is, so I made a cupcake tower and filled all the cupcakes with the color of the gender of the baby and that is how she announced to the family what she was having.  Everyone was excited to bite into their cupcake to find out she is have a baby girl!!!

Anyway, we had lots of food, laughter, and fellowship.  We spent the remainder of the evening going through pictures I had brought home from mom’s a few weeks ago.  What a trip that was, everything from her baby pictures to present day.  Pictures of step brothers who aren’t our step brothers anymore that we haven’t seen in 25 years.  Pictures of old friends from school, some I have recently been catching up with and some I had completely forgotten about.  The best part was we got to remember the fun we had with mom over the years instead of the horror of the last several.  

I was actually dreading going through those pictures and remembering things I wasn’t sure I wanted to remember, but it is always so amazing how God chooses to heal our hearts.  He wants there to be peace in our lives, and for that I am thankful!!

Counting it all Joy!!

Angel