5 functions in 48 hours

This is pretty much how my schedule is from Thanksgiving until after Christmas.  It's not easy juggling my mom's family, my dad's family, my step dad's family (he is no longer my step dad but he did raise me), my mom's stuff, my dad's stuff, church stuff, AND joseph's stuff on top of all of that.  I really don't know how my parents got me to everywhere I had to be before I was 16 and couldn't drive myself all over town.  Much less, when my Mama Dean was still living and that was one other place I attended.

I'd give anything to have that function back in my life.  I would always go to her house around lunch on Christmas Eve only to spend all afternoon with her.  That was our time.  The rest of the family didn't come until 5:30 or so, but I'd go early on Thanksgiving and I'd go early on Christmas Eve.   I helped in the kitchen, I helped to wrap wrapped last minute presents, I played with her dog, and I admired every thing she did.  I wish I would have watched more closely when she made her chicken salad and dressing, because hers was, and will always be, the best I ever had.  Thankfully she did teach me how to make her gravy.  She was my hero, and it saddens me to no end that her life was cut short because of that ugly "C" word.  Every year I get so tired of running from house to house during the holidays, but it is just a reminder of how blessed I am to have so many important people in my life.

This weekend was the start of the family functions, and boy am I glad that we start early or there is no way I'd be able to make them all.  In fact, I had to miss lunch with Joseph's extended family today which was disappointing, but surprisingly, I think that will be the only thing I have to miss.  I know that they had some delicious food, as always, and I hate that I missed seeing sweet Dawson and Mallory playing together.  This is only the beginning of my catch-up posts, so stay tuned for some entertaining stories from the weekend!!