Favourite Thing- Family

Another week has come and gone! After a 10 hour work day, I'm happy to be home! We have our Dinner Auction for work tomorrow night and we are pretty much good to go. A co-worker and I just have to finish the centre pieces tomorrow and we're done. After that it's just a matter of the evening playing out. Hopefully everyone has a great time!

On to this weeks favourite thing:

Family

I am so lucky and blessed to have the family that I do- this includes my extended family. They are all so loving, encouraging and supportive of me. I really, really, really do appreciate all that they do- for me, for one another and even for those who are not a part of our family. 

It's during the tough times, that you realize how amazing family is, how important they are to have around. 

On a personal note, to my Aunt Mary: I have always admired and respected you. I feel you are one of the most elegant, caring and giving people there is. You have done everything in life with such dignity and grace. No matter what you had going on, you were always able and willing to give to the community. Your recent volunteer award (from the Province of Ontario) recognize 30 years of volunteer service with one organization speaks volumes. I'm so happy and proud of your recognition and achievement and I know that this was just one of many organizations you volunteered your time with.  I had emulated you and gave freely of my time to organizations. I found I has spread myself too thin, took on more than I could handle and was just done... How did you do it?!?!? And as a wife, mother and grandmother, you had less time and more responsibilities. You amaze me!

I also want you to know, I appreciate your kindness and welcoming spirit when I first moved to town. I appreciate you reaching out to me, inviting me to dinner and make sure I felt and knew I was part of the family and always welcome at the house. When I moved here, what you don't know, was that I burnt out. I needed to be alone, I needed to do things for me, I needed to unwind and figure out who I truly am. And, I wasn't in a place to be social and I wasn't in a place, I felt, where I was good company. This is the REAL reason I kept my distance. No other reason. I had gone from doing too much to doing nothing. I guess you could say, in a way, I felt unworthy to be in your presence.

I have so many fond and cherished memories of time spent with you over the years, specifically at the cottage. My favourite memories were the ordinary cottage days- reading on the beach, family dinner at the cottage and a bonfire afterwards. It was the simpleness of these times spent with family that mean the most to me. It was always so important to you that I knew my cousins and that they knew me...It's because of you, that I have such close relationships with your children and grandchildren. You always said that not only were we all family, but we should all be friends too. 

Thank you for all you have done for me. Thank you for all that you have taught me. Thank you for being an amazing woman, role model and inspiration. But most importantly, thank you for being my aunt, my Aunt Mary.