How Lucky Am I...

...or as my Uncle, Father Bob would say, "How blest are you".

My cousin Patty Joyce, her daughter Casey and granddaughter Sydney came through Chicago last Thursday. They were returning to Michigan from Nebraska where they celebrated her Mom's 94th birthday(Happy Birthday, Aunt Margaret!). Patty & her sisters began going through some of Aunt Margaret's zillions of pictures & Patty was showing some of them to us. Patty allowed me to borrow some & scan them. I was quite moved because some of these pictures were intimate slices of experiences that formed who I am.

As I looked at this picture,I flew back in time. That is Aunt Margaret, as always, serving food on the far left, other people are all over the house(you can be sure there are as many people in the kitchen on the other side of that marvelous 2 sided butler pantry). Grandma Nora is in the center of things & cousins of all ages are in various states of relating...this picture truly represents my Aunt & Uncle Francis' farm. You could drop in at any time and be treated as if you were one of their own & had been expected. It really was a safe & wonderful place.

At the last big get together there, my daughter (LaSirena)kept running in & checking with me...is it ok if I go on the porch with the other kids?...yes, you can go anywhere on the farm with the other kids...then, Mom you mean I can go in the yard?...yes anywhere, I then watched her out the dining room window, she was immobile with amazement, in she came again...you mean I can go out of the yard, out of the fence...yes, anywhere. The concept of so much freedom, for my little city girl, was too much.

When I think of the Fenton clan, I think of this place. Looking at this picture, brought it all back. It also finally dawned on me (duh) that my goal to buy a farm was really just an attempt to provide for my family and friends, something close to what Margaret & Francis gave to all of us. So I really was not looking for a place of peace (I will have to change my blog ID) in Hummingbird Hill, but rather a place of easy relatedness; joyful chaos.

Joyful chaos brings me to my next picture & the true source of what I love about my life: the hugeness of my family. On the Fenton side alone I have 46 first cousins. My cousin Rita & I are smack in the middle. We are surrounded by the baby boomer crush of kids, & we girls are the majority (in this age group). Keep in mind I had all brothers until Theresie & Colleen came along at(my age) 10 & 14. When I got together with my girl cousins I was a little terrified & alot overjoyed.

This picture is of just a very few of my cousins on an ordinary day creating joyful chaos. They are all +/- 3 years of my age. I am not in this picture, but I have been in many similar situations. Note, it is not ALL girls, but have you ever seen such a giggling, gaggle of gangly girls? Don't you think I am very lucky,...er,blest?