Down memory lane

All of the recent losses in our immediate and extended family have had an impact on both Will and I. Aside from the obvious frustration of being far away and unable to help. Is all the reminders of others that I have lost over the last few years. Memories of those loved ones have flooded through my mind in the last week. I'm sure that my working on the Oakes Family Gathering has added to the flood also. I still miss them all so much but I am grateful for the time that they were a part of my life. I don't think that I want to even imagine the person I would have become had they not been around.
I happen to be one of those people that think that one of the most important things after God is "family". I have been sorting through my mind looking for what "my" definition of family is. It has been an interesting question. Obviously first and foremost would be my husband and children. It extends from there to parents, aunts, uncles, cousins and the other "blood" related relatives, BUT it goes on from there to others that are not related by blood, but by love. Some of these are even closer than "blood" because they choose to be part of our lives and to love us even when they don't have to. People say that you can choose your friends but you're stuck with your family.
I myself have been blessed greatly with a loving family and many friends that are blood relatives, but I have so many others that although not related by blood are infinitely important to me. I am so grateful for these people who are not "stuck with me" but choose to love me for who I am. I thank God daily for these great blessings he has added to my life.
The second thing that has come of this is a renewed desire to get our family "tree" down on paper. I realize more and more that knowing who I am and where I come from is also important to me. I would like to leave it behind for all of the younger generation in our family. I of course know "whose I am" and where I am going in the future when I leave this world, but knowing the history of my family is answering questions that I have always had. I have had to deal with a few disappointments in it though.....
I had always hoped that our family were part of the American Revolution as Patriots fighting for our nation. Now I find out that they were loyalists who were kicked out of the country. That was quite a blow to my ego. Although it was a help to know that they were loyalists mainly because of religious beliefs, it didn't do much to soothe my wounded pride. Here I went through all of this to find them and they couldn't even be hero's.... just redcoats.
Now, I am stuck on this one 20 year stretch and cannot figure out which John Thomas Oakes was my GGGGgrandfather. They were both alive at the same time, had the same occupation and lived in the same town. To make matters worse they both had wives named Elizabeth. Maybe I will never know, but I'm not giving up yet.
When I finish with this portion of the family I have my Father's Mom's side and then both of my Mother's lines. Then I will continue on with Will's side of the family. It should take me years and I love a good puzzle!!!!!
The garden is tilled but not planted yet. We keep having these afternoon rain storms. It's like living in Florida again, even down to the humidity. Hopefully, I can get it planted in the next couple of days.
Our house was struck by lightening yesterday. We lost the phones for awhile until Will came home and worked on them. We also lost the Directv receiver. Will came home and took it all apart and somehow fixed it. Believe me I was very impressed watching him look at that thing and understand what it was and what it did. Looked like brain surgery. What would I do without my genius husband?
This next two weeks should be interesting here at our house. Besides getting ready for the Oakes Family Gathering and all the other things that are going on. My Father who is a Co-Pastor at our church is going to be bringing the Sunday morning message at the National Truck Pull held here in Tomah. That means that Will is going to be bringing the message at our church that morning. God nearly always has something profound happen during the week before to bring the message home to Will. I am always amazed to see what happens. Kind of like being on the 50 yard line of a really good ball game (Will's description).
Well, time to go fold more clothes and then steam the family room carpet. Work never quits, but then again, I'm not one that can just sit around. Too much life to live and way to much to see in this world God has created. Hope you are all having a Wonderful, Wonderful Day!