Precious

This is second day in a row I've had to slip away from the crowd and lock myself in a bathroom for a cry. Yesterday the annual Primary program sent me there; they sang and spoke about eternal families and the kids were more killingly adorable than I remember them being in years. Tonight it was my own little nieces fawning over their pumpkins an uncle and aunt helped them carve that turned on my waterworks again. Then I ended up snuffling quietly to myself all over the Moondoggie house because our last big family fling before Annie flies home to Hawaii was just so beautiful. That, and I can barely stand to say goodbye.

• a wonderful meal

• people I love so much it actually hurts sometimes (like tonight)

• pumpkin guts and seeds and a long line of crazy jack-o-lanterns grinning in the rain

• living room mosh pit ballet

• guitars, banjos, piano, tumbling, singing, barking, shouting, stomping—a howling hoedown

• words of love, encouragement, faith

• rip-snorting children, madcap adults

• bedtime songs

• people able to express love

• safety and security

I never knew what joy in a family looked like till I married into The Tribe. I'm grateful to them all, particularly my Rob, for accepting me and allowing me to be part of something so marvelous. I'm grateful to know that I can choose to continue these relationships forever.