Super Saturday!

What a beautiful bride we celebrated yesterday! My cousin’s daughter Alyssa married Bryson yesterday, and it was a perfect event. Holy Ghost Church in Omaha is where the ceremony was. The bride’s family had lots of memories from there. Weddings, funerals, baptisms, confirmations, graduations. Six cousins in that family attended school and Church there for over 50 years. I still have such a happy heart today from the experience.

Part of why I feel this way has to do with the COVID-19 quarantine we have experienced. After the unrest of our lives in the first half of this year, it makes us appreciate family in a ways we haven’t yet done. The stories, the funny things that happened as kids, they all make life much more full. And sharing them with the people who helped create those stories is a joy. I’m laughing at some stories as I’m writing, and am grateful I have all the cousins we have to reminisce with.

In about another month, some of those cousins will again gather to lay another cousin to rest. We have lost one to cancer. He fought it for years, and it finally took him. It will be a sad day for his brother, sister, kids, and other closer family members. All of these descendents of the Fab Four Bobell Sisters will love and support each other through this event as well. We are now the elders of the tribes. Our moms were stubborn women, yet we knew they loved us in their own special ways. My mom is the only one left of the Bobell Sisters, and we know someday, she too will be gone. More stories, more love shared.

Yesterday, the Omaha Public Schools released a change (already) to the school year. Instead of starting next week and being in person, it will be delayed another week and be all online. No, it wasn’t something the Superintendent did on purpose, I’m sure if the cases in Omaha/Douglas County had not skyrocketed in the past week or so, the school year would not have had any changes. I would think there will be other districts in the area who follow suit, but if not, carry on. The kids are very important, and we must teach them how to cooperate with the way things are even though we don’t agree. We all learned that very important thing growing up, it helps society be more cohesive. Give and take is in order. From all of us, not just kids/teachers/parents. Let’s be a good example.

Yes, there is.

For today? I’m listening to some tunes and writing. Updating Chapter One. I think once the missing component is found (within me), it will go smoother and quicker. I don’t want to do a poor job. I want to be proud of what I produce. Just like practicing years and years to quilt, yes, here I have to practice writing until I get it. Won’t give up!

Thank you all for reading today. Go hug a cousin today. Or at least call them and catch up. It’ll do both your hearts good! I’ll see you again tomorrow. Stay safe. Distanced. Masked Up. Washed Up. All of it. Let’s show COVID who’s boss!

Photo by Cecu00edlia Tommasini on Pexels.com

A Toast to Cousin’s Today!

Fabulous Friday!

Good morning on this beautiful morning at the Home Office in Gretna, Nebraska. It’s sunny and a little breezy today, just perfect for venturing out to our neighbor’s garage sale. I hope they sell everything they don’t love as much and people who buy appreciate their new treasures. Hadley and Connie are wonderful people, and we will miss them so much.

Life offers us so many comings and goings. Some are harder than others. Others are just, “Let’s get together . . . ” and often times we don’t follow through. We need to follow through so we don’t have regrets later on. We all need to. This time of pandemic and pandemonium opened up our eyes, I hope. Those kiddos are never going to be this age again. This is one of the eighteen summers you get with your child before they may leave home for college, the military, or a job. Eighteen sounds like a lot, but trust me, it’s not. It’s so few in the grand scheme of things. It’s a lot of snacks, “Mom, I’m bored,” statements, and back to school shopping.

I loved back to school shopping. When I was a kid, it was the time of a fresh box of crayons, pencils, and new erasers. Other things, too. New underwear. We did not have a clothes dryer until I was a sophomore in high school, or a junior, and Mom hung all laundry on the line to dry. I loved brand new socks, they were so soft, and would never be so again, at least until we finally got a clothes dryer. It may not sound like much, but these things made an impact on our lives, and we have probably forgotten about how lucky we are, with all these modern conveniences.

That said, although we were financially challenged, I miss shopping for my kids, too. It was fun to see what they’d like to wear the next year for school. Oldest son was always jeans and black concert t-shirts. I think he’s still the same fashion maven today. Younger son, was preppy in his time at Westside. He’s been a sharp dresser all his life. Daughter? In late elementary and early middle school, jeans, sweaters, the usual. When high school was on the horizon, it was the gothic look. Wow. It was different.

I let them express their individuality in school clothes. They knew there was a different level for appropriateness for family functions, funerals, weddings, etc. As a parent, it’s important to pick your battles. We wore uniforms to school, so I never had a choice. Whenever a day to wear regular clothes to school came alone, no one knew what to wear. By the time I was a senior, I sewed most of my clothes, so I was able to get creative.

All of this aside, this day marks the thirteenth anniversary of the day my brother’s wife died. Laura was such a beautiful woman. She had a heart full of love for her family, her kids and grandkids, and especially for my brother, Tim. After all the years of being the only girl, I was happy when she joined our family. Her time here was too short. She died so young, it was a terrible loss to everyone, especially her immediate family. We spent a lot of time together while she was ill, and I’m glad for every minute I could help her be less afraid. We had many hours of talking, laughing, and praying. I remember her tremendous spirit. It’s still with us.

Laura, my sister in law. Resting in Peace!

Today, I’m starting my next homework for my novel. It’s amazing how it’s changed, grown, and morphed into something entirely different in the past year. How silly I was at 40K words, thinking I could find an editor! Hahaha! Live and learn. It’s like giving birth, being almost ready to push, then go back to timing contractions because it was a false alarm. I may birth an elephant at this rate!

Have a beautiful Friday, and a safe weekend, friends.

We don’t have any specific plans for the weekend yet, and even if it’s spent at home with our dogs, it’ll be a good one. We’re behind on Yellowstone, so I’d like to watch the last episode sometime. I find it to be a very good story, the plotline is amazing. I’d love to see it written all out, and study some of the things I’ve learned with Sam, my writing coach.

Thank you for reading on this super hot day. The dogs and I are staying in from the heat, and getting creative this afternoon. Hope you have a good weekend. I’ll see you here again tomorrow, be safe. Wear your mask, Wash up. Whatever they’re saying, don’t protest, attend a political rally, or anything silly. Keep your germs away from others and I’ll do the same.