Opinion : In spite of ourselves...

Warning: This column is long and sappy :)

This past few weeks at the Close home, have been borderline crazy. We've gone through loss, celebration, and realized the overall, life is good.

It all started on a Sunday morning with a phone call from our eldest daughter, who was miscarrying our third grandbaby. At the time I was talking to her, I was also playing the piano for our church service and could feel my mind splitting into the multifunction ability that mothers develop over the years. Part of my mind is wondering how can I play, cry, talk and grieve at the same time.

My heart was breaking for my little girl and her husband, but found all I could do was offer her words of sympathy and understanding. I knew there was nothing I could do to take the pain away from my little girl.

We kicked into high gear, that week, and took on our two beautiful and very active little granddaughters. They are at the age that they have discovered everything and anything that isn't nailed down, and will bring it to you to show you it's not.

This was the first time I saw an exhausted grandpa in the recliner looking like the two had gotten the best of him. Now usually the sun rises and sets on their grandpa. But one of the days the girls spent with us,they realized that this 6 foot playground could occassionally be worn out.

At the same time this was happening children #4 and #5, were participating in the homeschool play, and juggling all the activity that goes along with that.

We called child #3 to watch our child #6 who was home visiting with his fiancee...we knew that would be their dream day, babysitting...while we helped our eldest daughter out a bit more.

The following week, we had the joy of seeing our "fourthborn" graduate with honors. I remember the Sunday morning that this little girl was born. She timed her arrival perfectly so that we could greet her, and snuggle for a few minutes before we called and broke the news to both sets of grandparents at church that they had a 9 lb. first ever red headed little granddaughter.

Sigh, where does the time go?

Anyway, back to our frantic life story. We threw in a graduation reception and had a 15 day stay with one of our favorite aunts.

I also should mention, "It's a Girl!" that's right, we added our 6th daughter to the family just a mere 2 days ago. We welcomed her a few years ago, and held our breath that our thirdborn would propose to this sweet gal and fast, and he FINALLY did!

So the same day we held a graduation reception, we sent our guests home and redecorated the room into a bridal shower motiff and welcomed some of the same guests a few hours later. Thinking that surely everyone wouldn't want to make the trip twice, we were pleasantly surprised that we had a packed out crowd and scrambled to set more chairs out.

I wouldn't advise pulling a double header like to to anyone, unless you have lots of great help.

Exhausted we crawled home, collapsed in the livingroom and just gazed at the maze of boxes that it took to pull off that feat.

The next week started with a flurry of cleaning and putting things away.

We actually had a chance to visit with our houseguest, with whom I love to visit. Our last visit ended when she began to have health problems, and later we found out she had cancer.

Cancer kicked her around quite a bit, but this trip gave us all the realization that in life, well, there's nothing better than being alive.

This gal has the years of wisdom that only a retired Air Force OB nurse can have. She can tell you stories that as a mom would make your hair stand on end. She's also a wise gal in the investment world. Something that is mostly greek to me.

But politics, like she'd say, "Don't get me started!" But loving politics myself, how can I NOT get her started!

So all in all, we found a few nights to stay up and talk like college kids into the wee hours of the morning, a time we both know we are going to be up anyway, so we might as well have some good conversation.

The topic nearest and dearest to our hearts were the ones that weren't with us. For Memorial Day we took a trip to the cemeteries to place our flowers and realized that for 10 years we've all been missing some of our greatest anchors in this world. For her it was her parents and only sibling. For us it was the grandparents of both Dean and our children. Again we remember the dreams we had to enjoy them all so much longer. I could have sworn we lost them just a few years ago then reading their stones and realizing that those 10 years have flown by, was a weird feeling.

After Memorial Day we kicked into high gear again. The following week we had a wedding.

I'm sure by now, Dean's aunt was thinking that our new furniture was modern carboard box style and that we never have a decent sit down meal.

Somehow, we pulled together a pretty amazing rehearsal supper, in spite of the wind blowing out the grill, roasters that didn't work and a stove that wouldn't heat, and had a wonderful time relaxing with our soon to be daughter. That took a mere 12 hours to prepare and 1 to tear down and pack up...go figure.

The next day was of course, a flurry of activity getting ready for the wedding. Now my hats are off to both sets of "in laws" who had all the burden of preparing an outdoor wedding.

As the mother of the groom, well, I recommend it. You simply show up at the appointed time, get your picture taken and visit with relatives that your son is inheriting, and while those around you are finishing up their long list of last minute preparations.

The day couldn't have been more perfect, and the atmosphere more enjoyable. The day was full of laughter and love. All the preparation made for the most beautiful setting I've seen. Our #1 daughter in law stepped in and helped organize and make the day perfect. Our eldest son toasted his younger brother and gave us all a lot of chuckles and made his brother blush.

As I listened I could remember the hundreds of times those two would be irritating each other and in short order a fight was on. I still remember all the times they wore their little flannel shirts, cowboy hats, and boots, scarf on their neck and a holster on their hip. I remember how the groom irritated the neighbors by making the exact duplicate sound as a siren, causing them to run to the window.

Following the ceremony, one son was off on his honeymoon and the other off to St. Louis to begin training for his career. Again I feel happy for the one and sad the other is leaving.

Today I look at the pictures of our family and I'm amazed that in all the times we messed up, in spite of us, the kids still turned out pretty remarkable. I remember all the times we didn't do things right, and realize that parenting isn't all about the parents, it's about the great kids you get.

In all this madness, I had the help of our 3 youngest daughters, who cooked, decorated, put things away, got them out again, came home, pitched in, packed things up again, blew up hundreds of balloons, then helped to pull out another set of supplies to repeat the activitiy the next weekend all while keeping such a sweet grace about them.

I can say that I can't be more proud of the whole group of kids that we have. The 6 original models, AND the 3 that were brave enough to join this clan. I never thought that one heart could hold so much love, but with each addition, my heart gets a little bigger, and again I realize how fortunate we are in this day and age to have our traditional, old fashioned family. I'll take it any day!