Change

Yesterday we experienced change that was perhaps inevitable. There were only 14 people at Mom's for Thanksgiving. As compared to the 30 we have frequently had. There were work conflicts (Where did THAT come from?), other in-law gatherings (rarely a conflict for this group before), other complicated "life" situations, and now Grandma-Great (as my nieces and nephew call her) spent her first Thanksgiving with Jesus. [Somehow I doubt that's a day we will celebrate in heaven. :-)]

So, you can imagine the leftovers, even when we knew the crowd would be a little smaller. It's hard to make the adjustments when you have cooked for a certain number for so many years. I think we "missed" Grandma and Grandpa and others more, too. The smaller crowd did allow space for a lively Mexican Train dominoes game and some more personal discussions through the day, so not all the change was bad. Just change.

As one generation passes completely from our lives, the ties that bind seem to loosen more easily. Perhaps it is inevitable, as I said. It makes the time we do have with each other now that much more important.