Family

It has been such a sweet, wonderful day.  Family filled this house with their love, laughter and joy.  Of course the usual family members (Josh, Cyrise and their four little ones) who live here were here, and so was my mom, my two sisters (Sandi and Johnnie), a brother-in-law (Mike), two big strong handsome nephews (Jared and Collin), our beautiful niece Kori, our precious daughter Kelly, and Jason and Kismette and their four children.

Josh carried me downstairs in the afternoon.  The women were all cleaning my house like crazy, and the guys were outside grilling kalbi, swimming with the kids and keeping them entertained.  It was almost like a party.  Well, it kind of was a party.

I got tons of hugs and kisses and love.  I sat on the couch and watched everything going on around me, feeling so blessed to have this big loving family.  Another nephew and his wife (Sandi's oldest son Cole) will be here tomorrow, and I'm looking forward to seeing him, too.

My home health aide came around 3 in the afternoon to help me with my shower.  The transfer bench works great and really makes me feel safer and more secure.  I was able to wash some of myself alone, without her help, because I don't have to hold on while sitting on it, like I did on the little shower stool.  Awesome.

Then I was all fresh and clean to be downstairs with family and have dinner later.  They all left to go back to Austin where Kori lives, but they'll all be back tomorrow.

After they left Josh said that it felt just like always with them; the same love and feeling of family has never disappeared, even though we live in different places and have different lives.  I've noticed that with our extended family, too.  Cousins I hadn't seen in years are just as dear and easy to be with now as they were when we were growing up.

Thank you Sandi, Johnnie, Kori, Kelly and Mom for cleaning my downstairs today.  I appreciate it so much.  Makes me feel much better!  Nobody cleans like our Croley women.  :o)  You are all wonderful.  Oh, and thank you Jared for vacuuming the kitchen vent.  And Cyrise for what you did before everyone arrived.  Love you!

Josh's children were enchanted by their Uncle Mike, Johnnie's husband.  I call him the child whisperer.  All of our kids have been crazy about him from the time they are born, or meet him.  He just has an easy, funny way with them that makes them love him.  So Aubrey was looking at him, and she said to him, "You have a good face."  :o)  Isn't that the cutest?  He said, "Does that mean you think I'm cute?"  And she said, "Yes."

Jacob enjoyed meeting all the guys and swimming with them.  He said someone picked him up from behind and threw him into the water.  I asked him who it was, and he said, "That big white guy."  I laughed so hard.  He meant his cousin, Collin.

Now I am eating a strawberry sundae that Jason and Kis got for me.  The perfect ending to a very sweet day.