Small, impromptu family get-togethers may be the best kind yet.
That was what I and my wife, Pat and her mother had the chance to experience on Monday, Memorial Day.
Don’t get me wrong. I do enjoy gatherings where all the family joins together during a long holiday weekend or any time for that matter.
But this past weekend was really enjoyable.
I wrote in last week’s column that was I looking forward to enjoying the long Memorial Day weekend.
I said my wife Pat and I normally decorate graves at four different cemeteries, two in Shawnee and two in Oklahoma City.
The two in Oklahoma City are where both of my mothers, my dad, brother, two sets of grandparents, two aunts and an uncle were laid to rest.
We visit Fairview and Resthaven in Shawnee normally where Pat’s relatives are buried.
But there were some changes to all of this last weekend.
The weather had a little to do with that and it wasn’t bad. It was kind of a good thing.
First, because of last Thursday night’s rain that left the ground really wet, Pat’s mom decided she didn’t want to decorate graves this year. That was Friday.
So, it was decided the three of us should go to lunch and Pat’s mom insisted on paying for it.
On Saturday, Pat and I went to Oklahoma City and decorated graves at the two cemeteries. We laid eight wreaths for the 11 relatives that are buried in them. That includes two sets of grandparents.
We decided to have lunch after visiting the second cemetery.
Then, as we were leaving the restaurant, Pat spotted a kids’ clothing store and we headed there. We couldn’t pass up the chance to buy some new
We couldn’t pass up the chance to buy some new clothes for our grandson, Liam, who will turn 21 months old this coming Sunday. Especially, when we walked in and discovered the sale prices.
Of course that gave us a good reason and maybe a chance to see him and his mom and dad over the weekend.
On Sunday, Pat let our daughter, Meghan, know about the clothes and she said Monday would be good a day to come over. While we were eating breakfast Monday morning,
While we were eating breakfast Monday morning, Meghan texted Pat and invited us over for hamburgers and hot dogs that our son-in-law Terry was going to grill that afternoon. Pat called her mom, Ruth, and by noon the three of us were headed to Norman.
Her mom is Liam’s great-grandmother. Meghan had fixed the rest of the meal that is always great and she made a new dessert she figured out on her own. It was some delicious as was everything else.
Most importantly, we had time to enjoy our family.
That was the best part about it, to visit, see Meghan and Terry and the little grandson. What a blessing they and Pat’s mom are to us.
There’s one certainty I’ve learned. You can’t say you love them too often or too many times.