Over the river and through the woods..

That's where we went, to Grandmother's house. She's my mother, of course, but there were grandkids, great-grandkids, and even one great-great-grandbaby there. What a houseful! A joyful, chaotic mass of relatives chatting and eating and just generally having a good time on Thanksgiving.

We got there yesterday, so we had some good visit time before the hoardes arrived today. We were also able to finalize the agenda for the day for cooking and getting things on the tables.

Parting to go to our separate homes was bittersweet, too, since we don't get to see everyone just when we want to. You know, life gets in the way and our family schedules don't always coincide enough to have frequent get-togethers. This is one reason why I want to start having a Sunday dinner for my children to come to. They can come when they can, and it's ok when they can't. I just want to be here and have it available for them so we can all remain close. When the business of living wears on us, and we are so tightly wound we can't see our way clear to visit one another, then it's time to change something.

I'm the Mama, so it starts with me, I think. Then maybe it will pass down to them.

The Bible says "God set the lonely in families", but what if there's a family and the members are still lonely? That's not right. I want to build us into a family that's so tightly knit together, we can't imagine any other way of living.