Wednesday, November 24, 2004

The day before Thanksgiving..

My house is full. Every bed. Every towel. And it is wonderful. I wake up in the night knowing that family I love is sleeping in rooms down the hallway.

Abe and Kristin arrived from Portland,Oregon last night..it was late and they were tired, so we visited a bit and they went to bed (actually they are still sleeping!)

Adam and Tonya woke early this morning to visit Tonya's Dad..he died two years ago today. Dressed in my yellow raincoat and purple hat and umbrella they trudged off through the pouring rain (which will be turning to inches of snow by nightfall.) I said, tell your Dad I miss him. Bill was a great guy.

Always there is something to miss, isn't there? No matter how full the house is... I miss my parents and sisters and brothers and a special person that I have grown fond of...I miss how it used to feel to be a family at the farm....I think that is the power of story and remembering.

In the John Newbery Award book, Sarah, Plain and Tall written by Patrica MacLachlan...Sarah has a conversation with her friend, Maggie. Sarah was a mail order bride who left the seacoast of Maine to move to the Midwest. She misses the sea, her family. Maggie calmly says, There are alway thing to miss, no matter where you are.

So, on this day before Thanksgiving...oh, how lovely to have the house full of family you love so much...but don't forget to tell stories of those who won't be at your table.

Spring break in St. Pete...

  Adam and his pups! The late-night flight is full. Everyone is heading out for spring break. Students and teachers, moms and dads, kids and...