The Memories We Leave Behind

Every night when we sit down to dinner we go around the table and tell the best part of our day. You can have up to three but no less than one. It's not a time for your negatives from the day, only positives. We do this if there are 3 people at the table or 8 people at the table. 

Last night I wanted the focus to be on about Mother's Day and memories that we have. We were eating in the basement because of the tornado sirens but we still did it. Each child first got to tell their favorite "mom memory" or something mom did/does that makes you feel special. This allowed A & R to reflect on their mom and allowed T, T, & G the chance to reflect on their mom.

Then we did their favorite "aunt memory" or something their aunt did/does that makes them feel special. This one allowed A & R to focus on me and allowed T, ,T, & G the chance to reflect on Aunt Anitra. I think it's important to be able to do both. 

What I learned last night was that my grandchildren and great grandchildren are going to think that Anitra and I were CRAZY!! Chasing kids with slippers and smacking them with them. Slugging them while driving down the street for slug bugs and accidentally clawing them instead. Anitra luring the children into her van with candy only to not have candy and a lecture on stranger danger. Aunts and moms who laugh hysterically in half sleep moments. Anitra stealing table stuff from Red Robin and her inability to say the names of things properly. Bus stop craziness. Large coffee from McD's with 10 cream/10 sugars. Road trips! Moving couches by flipping them end over end because they were too heavy to be lifted. 

What I learned was that the memories we leave behind are so much more important than anything else that we leave when we pass. These are the things that will keep us alive for future generations. These are the things that live in the living forever.