Thanks for the Memories

    One of my North Carolina cousins recently posted some old family pictures on Facebook. If you look at me then and now, you will know just how old some of these pictures are. We are talking 29 years here. So that puts me under 30. Wow, I cannot even remember that far back. The hair cuts are horrendous as are the clothes, but who cares. I look at the pictures, and I am there. There are no mosquitoes or flies and the heat and humidity are not unbearable. That's what memory does for you. It makes everything look hazy and glorious. I probably didn't realize at the time just how glorious it was. But I do now. I hope that counts for something in God's economy. 

I think The Husband still has that shirt. I, on the other  hand, have no clue what 

that get-up is that I am wearing. Oh, and is anyone surprised that I am talking...

with both my mouth and my hands?!

      Three of my four children are in this picture. The fourth is missing because he is not yet born. 

My dear grandmother is holding The Daughter who is just a couple of months old, my sweet 

Momma is the twin on the far right and my two older sons are standing in front of her. Aren't they precious?! My mother's identical twin is to my her left and my beloved North Carolina aunt is holding my nephew. This picture was taken a whopping 29 years ago. 

           Does anyone remember Underoos? That's what the Oldest Son has on in

this picture. Trust me when I tell you that they were "the thing." The precious boys are now            men who are 33 and 32 years old respectively. Raising rambunctious sons who were

sixteen months apart was certainly not a picnic in the park. Then The Daughter came along and I had three children under four. Those days were was a lot about survival.

However, now I am totally reaping the rewards!!!

This picture nearly brought me to tears. I can get maudlin about memories.

Like I said before, you don't remember the itchy bathing suit, the flies or mosquitoes 

and the nearly unbearable heat. What I do remember is that this was

how we spent nearly every day of the summer. Out under the pin oak trees, catching

what little breeze was available and shooting the breeze ourselves. Endlessly.

There was always time for conversation, there was always a lap to hold

a baby, and there was always a good book to read and good food to eat. 

And the picture below was what we feasted our eyes on day and night.

This view, and the love of family, brought peace like a river to my soul.

 

It still does.