The Ties That Bind

Our family celebrated Easter a week later due to scheduling conflicts. Any reunion is a special occasion. We always have lots of fun, lots of food and naturally, with our family, lots of people. You see, there were 13 original siblings. They all have kids, who have kids and some of them have kids.


THE SIBLINGS

Not everyone was able to be there. It's been years since all of our family could come together. One of my aunts made the comment that the next time we gather it should be at a funeral. I think alcohol was involved. Everyone looked at her and said, "WHAT?" It may have been one of the moments when you don't think about what you are about to say. Who knows.

FIRST COUSINS

We even have our own security system. We call him "The Enforcer".


Until next time.

Easter Sunday

Easter is the most important day for Christians across the globe. Most of you know that this day marks the resurrection of Christ. I've been attending a Disciples of Christ church for the past two years and I've experienced celebrations not observed in the Baptist churches I attended as a youth and young adult.

This year, I went to a Maundy Thursday service. This was a very solemn and reverent service that beautifully accented Christ's last supper and mandate (maundy) to his apostles, which is to love one another.

Something else I've learned is that Easter also refers to the season of the church year called Eastertide or the Easter Season. Traditionally the Easter Season lasted for the forty days from Easter Day until Ascension Day but now officially lasts for the fifty days until Pentecost. The first week of the Easter Season is known as Easter Week or the Octave of Easter. Easter also marks the end of Lent, a season of fasting, prayer, and penance.


As a child we dye and hunt eggs, eat too much candy, get new clothes and go to church. But as an adult, we realize that Easter is all about renewal of life. Few things emphasize this more clearly than a new baby. This is my friend Jacob. He is such a good and happy baby and a true joy to be around.

I can't leave out Cricket. She's been my 4-legged child since December 1995. I hadn't been married but about a month when I told my then-husband I wanted a cat to catch mice in our home. We had a right-of-way behind our house that wasn't maintained and woods across the street from us so the little critters were abundant. I went to the local animal shelter to look at the different cats. I was looking at a solid white one on the top row of cages when I felt a tug on my shirt. I looked down and saw the multi-colored paw clawing my clothing. I couldn't refuse that, so I brought her home.



I was told that she had been abandoned in an apartment and went all weekend without food or water. The maintenance man found her, she was underweight and near death. She's anything but underweight now. She still has seperation anxiety even if I'm gone just to the grocery store. If she gets her feelings hurt, she goes to eat. If I leave, she eats. If I ignore her, she eats. She's a big and healthy girl now.

Until next time.