As time goes on.

Randy lost a cousin to cancer this morning.

His wife and I were each expecting our first baby at the same time. She had Brooke and I had Abby. By the time we had Annie they were expecting their fourth. I remember thinking they were out of their everlovin' minds.

Back in "the good ole days" the family still had their traditions. Memorial Day BBQ Ribs and family trips to put flowers at the cemetery and Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. These were organized by Randy's Grandma. She made an effort to get her family together. After she died we still had some contact because of Randy's Uncle Sonny. He was the one who delivered us 7-up late one night when Randy and I both had come down with the stomach flu at the same time just weeks after our wedding.

Life happened (not sure what this means). Gary & Kim divorced. Uncle Sonny died. We lost touch.

I wonder why it is that some families are so wonderful to stay connected while other families can't get it together enough to celebrate their shared history.

I still want to know which cousin broke the little china teacup to the tea party set. And to talk about how we played like the upstairs steps were an airplane. I remember how my cousin and I would argue over whose turn it was to put Grandma's expired drivers licence in their purse. And then there are those soccer games with the "big cousins." The goal was between those two big trees in the front yard. And how we all wanted to climb up that trellis to make sure the house key was still hidden. Safe and sound.

I don't recall the last family get together with Mammaw or Gary or Uncle Sonny. I don't really remember the last "trip" I took on my Grandma's steps with Shar.

I do remember sitting at the table at Grandma's and thinking that one of these times would be the last but I guess I thought there would be some pomp and circumstance to mark the occasion. Balloons and streamers. A good-bye party of sorts.

Long before REO Speedwagon became classic rock I had no idea how much or how quickly life would change.