FAMILY TOGETHER AGAIN

 

          It’s very hard for me to believe, but my oldest son turned 52 last Friday. I know time passes and passes very quickly, but in my own youth, I never envisioned myself as the mother of a middle-aged man…assuming 52 is considered middle-aged these days. I know I have a wealth of memories from all those years, but somehow, it still seems as though he should be young and small enough to climb up into my lap for snuggles. At least I have those remembrances even though they make me wish for just one more snuggle…and I could probably get one, but I’d have to climb up into his lap.

          We celebrated his birthday on Saturday, and for the first time since the pandemic began, I made dinner for the whole family. Initially, AJ told me he was just going to throw a couple of chickens on the grill and I should go to his house. Then, Angie heard I’d offered to make Swedish Meatballs (which I did for his birthday for I don’t know how many years), and her response was, “Hell yeah.”

          Finally, I had a great reason to actually clean my house. Now, don’t get too excited about that because cleaning house at my current age is nothing like cleaning house was decades ago. For instance, I did not wash my windows in- and outside and I didn’t scrub any of my floors on my hands and knees. Back in the day, getting ready for an event took major preparation and lots of time. I mean, seriously, what would guests think if the windows didn’t sparkle and eating off the floor wasn’t a possibility?

          Still, I vacuumed extremely well all of the rugs throughout the house. I also used the Swiffer on the hardwoods and got up all the dust that had accumulated as well as any left-over dog hair I hadn’t sucked up in previous vacuuming. Then, I dusted every single thing in the living, dining, bathroom and bedroom. Some had been dusted in the not-too-distant past, but I think there were things in the living and dining rooms that hadn’t been dusted since May, maybe.

          Now, I have to admit I didn’t make Swedish Meatballs from scratch, although I have done it that way a couple of times. Instead, I went to Ikea and purchased bags of frozen meatballs. Unfortunately, they didn’t have any gravy packets, so I used brown gravy packets and added sour cream.

          Now, as an aside, I rarely go to Ikea, maybe once a year. This time, I walked through their entire showroom and found myself wishing and or even thinking I should sell my house and find something that was about 1,000 square feet and furnish it entirely from Ikea. I loved the way some of their displays looked and the idea of having everything absolutely new was very appealing and entirely possible if I sold my house.

          That experience was prior to my cleaning house. Now that everything is clean and sparkling, I’m more than happy to stay here surrounded by stuff that I’ve collected during my lifetime. The amazing thing about all my belongings is that for the most part, you can point to an item and I can tell you where it came from and/or who gave it to me. Sadly, once I’ve gone to the great beyond, I think the majority of my junk will end up in a garage sale or donated. Ah well, I’ve enjoyed having it.

          Only Arayli was missing from the dinner table and I wished she had been there to make the family complete. Angie brought a big yummy salad and there were enough meatballs, gravy, potatoes and biscuits for AJ to take home two containers for his lunch this coming week, plus I kept one for my Sunday dinner. I believe everyone had more than enough to eat.

Once we were done with dinner, no one seemed in a hurry to get up and clear the table. Instead, everyone talked, laughed, joked, remembered past events; and I loved sitting in my usual place (AJ as the birthday boy sat in what had been his father’s) and watching and listening to the most important people in my life.

When cupcake time came, Haley helped clear the table and I stacked dishes in the sink for later. She put I don’t know how many candles on one cupcake (more candles than cupcake) and lit them. I pulled out the little musical “Happy Birthday” box and Xander, as the youngest, wound the handle and led us in singing the birthday song. Then it was cupcake and ice cream time. Very yummy.

This was followed by presents. Most were cards with money inside. At the ripe old age of 52, what kind of a list can you actually compile. AJ can carry his special day forward as he considers what to buy with his birthday loot.

Sunday morning, I sent all six family members a text telling them how wonderful it was to have them all around the table once again and that my heart grew three sizes as a result. I am so blessed to have my family close once again and so very thankful. I’m looking forward to more family times like this in the coming months.