twelve years

To my family:

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If there's one day of the year that I wish we could all be together, it's today. I wish we could take flowers to the cemetary together, because we probably haven't all been there together for 12 years. I wish we could do a Service Day project together to honor Dad and all he did to serve everyone around him. I wish I wasn't so far away from the rest of you.

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I feel so far away and disconnected sometimes from all of you, but I feel connected to all of you today. I've had you all on my mind a lot these last few days. I've been pretty wrapped up with my own little life lately- Matt's school, his new job, getting ready to move, keeping up with the kids, keeping up with my calling, etc. I guess what I've been feeling the last few days as I've been worrying about Brian after his ski accident and today marking 12 years since Dad passed away, is that family (meaning all of you as well as Matt and the kids) is really more important than anything else there may be vying for my time.

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I'm grateful Brian's okay. I'm grateful Grandma's home from the hospital. I'm grateful for my incredible husband and our special little family. I'm grateful for all of you. I'm grateful for Mom and the strength and inspiration and amazing example she is to all of us.

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I'm grateful for Dad. I liked how Kerri said it, "He is and always will be my one true hero". That's the way I feel too. I miss him terribly.

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I love you all.