A week of Thanks

A Daily Blessings Meme

Day 5- Relatives

My grandparents attended the same church and my parents met there. Both sets of grandparents were God-Fearing Reformed Christians. They were hard working and full of life.

My dad’s parents had 10 children. My grandfather was a carpenter and my grandmother stayed at home caring for the children. They didn’t have a TV in their home and every night she would read to her kids. I got my love of reading from her. The children they raised together are my Aunt’s and Uncles, all of them seem to have followed in their parents footsteps. Each one of them has a strong faith system, mostly Evangelical, but a rock of support when things happen within the family. Their children, my cousins, all provide humor and strength when we need it most. I have one cousin in Iraq right now, and we pray for him daily. Please keep him in your prayers.

My mom’s parents had 4 children. My Grandfather was a miner and my Grandmother worked various jobs, but was mostly a stay at home mom.  My grandmother took me under her wing and taught me all the things my parents didn’t in life. She has been a rock in my life, and I have been able to be there for her as well. My grandfather died when I was 16, but he was a jolly and happy man, always finding a way to make me laugh. Of their children, my Uncle’ s and their families, I really only got close to one, and he died a while ago. I miss him, but I still keep in pretty close contact with his children. I would write about the other two, but this is a post about Thanks, and I am not really thankful for anything from them or their families.

I am thankful that my sister and I have allowed ourselves to put the past in the past, and I am especially grateful for my nephew… He always has a smile or a giggle for me, and when we went through Ambriel’s cancer last year, he gave me something else to think about. I am looking forward to the birth of my niece in a few weeks.

You can’t choose your relatives, but I am thankful God put me in the family he did.