July 4th

For better or worse, less than a week after Mom's death, a holiday arrived.  My sister Jamie and her 5 kids were staying at my parents' house for the duration of the summer.  So that means that "all of us" were there. 5 kids.  3 kids-in-law.  11 and 8/9ths grandkids. But Mom wasn't.The fourth of July isn't an especially elaborate holiday for my family.  And yet as we gathered for an afternoon barbecue and swimming at my parents house, there was something missing. 
She hadn't been there in the morning wearing her red, white, and blue earrings and putting on the patriotic music for my little brother to wake up to.  She wasn't there to go with Dad to the annual 4th of July ward breakfast.  Instead, Jamie wore Mom's earrings.  Dad and Tyler fished through the cds for a while before finding the right music to put on.  Dad stopped by her grave before lunch.  Not quite the same.

But the brisket was yummy.  And ribs were good.  We had fun playing in the pool.  And we had fun being together.  And as much as we were all hurting, it was better that we could be together and share the hurt.  We'd have our moments of tears welling up and we'd move on.  And of course--nothing cures sadness like feeding 11 kids ice cream sandwiches dipped in sprinkles.  We made the best of it.  Just as Mom would have wanted us to do.

Playing in the pool, July 4 

Mom and Dad's house

Mmmm.  Ice cream sandwiches.  Sprinkles.  

*One more thing.  My Megan has the most beautiful little curls.  And someday soon she'll be getting her first haircut, so I needed to document her perfect ringlet pigtails from July 3.