Family

I am back. For anyone who suffered through the last post I had, I am back to my "normal" self. I suppose it would be better to say baseline rather than normal!
First of all, I want to thank everyone who gave me such warm encouragement and prayers through that time. I felt the Spirit working through you all and was lifted in prayer! That was totally incredible! I really needed it and I felt it so greatly! So again, Thank you all so much!!!
Secondly, I love you all so much! You are so are such beautiful people! I am truly blessed to be surrounded by you all!
I felt like I really needed to vent, and this was as good as a place as any. The next morning after my purge, I kind of hoped that nobody actually read through all that mess, I felt like I was dumping.
This brings me to what I felt moved to say today. Trust me, I will get there!
About 4 years ago, my parents retired to the Las Vegas area. My dad needed a dry, hot climate for a myriad of health reasons, and my mom was ok with the choice. It came to LV, because my aunt (mom's sister) is married to a man who is obsessed with LV. Needless to say, I wasn't really thrilled with the location. I had never been to LV before, and with a name like "Sin City" and al the ads for it, I had hoped they would go elsewhere. At the time, I was a single mom with a little girl, and they were moving VERY far away from us. (Before the moved, they were about an hour's drive from me). Well, they went. Dad has arthritis (severe), and he is unable to handle our constantly changing and col to humid weather. The warm desert sun has helped him. He has recently been diagnosed with Parkinsons. But, there is a very good VA hospital close to their apartment, and he is in with a great doctor. Mom is retired once from her job here, but now works as a lunch lady at a school within walking distance of their apartment. They seem to be thriving well. My younger brother and his daughter were having various problems, and ended up moving to LV and they all now share a large apartment. Everyone helps everyone, and it seems to be working out well. I feel much better knowing my niece is in a safe place and is cared for, my brother is trying to get his stuff together and has gone back to school for training in juvenile criminal justice (trust me, he has the background and life experience for this one! He should do well!) I know my mom isn't taking all the cares on by herself, and dad is cared for and safe too. I helped them on their move, and it was the first time I had been to LV. Still not my kind of place, and the desert made me miss all the green I have here at home, but it does have a certain beauty. I still know I don't wish to live there, but that is ok. I don't gamble, I am not into the overtly sexuality there on the Strip, but there are other things to see and do. Since Michael and I got married, we have been there twice. Last summer, we stayed at my parents', then took a drive to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. We stayed there a week. THAT WAS AWESOME! I honestly think everyone, if able, should see God's handiwork in the Canyon and the surrounding area! Then we went to some of the places on the Strip that were family friendly. We saw the "Bodies" exhibit~Totally amazing! Again, to see God's work! We saw the fountains dance, the aquarium. Lots of good things. It was fun, and the kids thought it was totally amazing that they could go to the pool and comfortably swim at 1:00 in the morning! This is something you CANNOT do in Northern Indiana, regardless of time of year!
My parents, my brother, and my niece are all flying out to our home for the first week in April! They will spend Easter with us! I am so excited! We speak on the phone 2-3 times a week, sometimes more, but we haven't seen them since last July. So I am cleaning house and getting things ready for their visit.
Then we heard from my dad's sister in Virginia. Remember, this is where we are from originally, and most of my dad's family is still there on a farm that has been in the family for over 200 years. My dad's sister (who was my mom's best friend in high school) is coming for one of the weekends my parents will be here. She is like my other mom, we are very close! She is travelling with another of my dad's sisters. My dad's brother may come if his wife is up for the trip. (I sure hope so...she also has had some health issues, but I would love for them both to be able to come!) This puts us to 4, potentially 8, people coming for Easter. Then, my mom's baby sister, who lives in Lansing MI called. She may come down for the weekend too. That makes 10! I am THRILLED to have my family around me! Michael's family was never very close, and he doesn't have much to begin with. He has an older sister, and a niece. His parents are gone, and he doesn't speak with his older brother. When we got married, he said he needed more family. We are quite close on both my mom and dad's side. I am not sure he knew the full dose of his words when he asked to share my family, but he's got us now!
We have a family reunion every year in VA, 2nd weekend of August. My cousin is the family historian, and records deaths/births/marriages for everyone. We go back about 6 generations or so, and the family lines from that point. The paper hangs on the side of the shelter and it is about 35 feet long. Michael jokes that his family tree would fit on a single 81/2 by 11 sheet. It is good to see everyone and catch up. Watching the kids get bigger every year and getting into the same trouble we used to at that age!
I feel especially blessed, in that I was an adopted child. My brother and I both were. My parents were unable to hve children the conventional way, and they adopted me first, then went into foster care as foster parents, and my brother came along a few years later. At one time, I had 3 sisters and 11 brothers. And some of the best memories ever!
I have met my biological parents, and have a relationship with 2 of my half siblings. My biological mother has a lot of issues, and although it is not possible at this point to have a relationship with her, I am thankful for her choice. My biological father and I exchange Christmas cards, but by my choice, we also do not have a close relationship. It is ok, my parents are my parents, it isn't like I was missing anything. Both of these people just have a lot of issues that I cannot involve myself into. I still pray for them, and that is ok.
But I have another family, too. My family in Christ. I have so many brothers and sisters and I will see them all someday soon in His glorious presence! I have met many of them on the internet and through this blog thing! We seemed to be brought together by the Spirirt Himself and I was reminded this week just how blessed I am to have all my different families! I cannot even find words adequate to show you all how much I love you and how much you all mean to me!
So again!
I love you! Thanks so much for your prayers! You are all my blessed brothers and sisters in Jesus and I hope to see you all soon! We will share the biggest hugs ever! And I have to get back to cleaning my house for other members of my family! It's a party!

Love you all and God Bless!

Love
Faith