Strange Creations

The deer I made for my mom last year fell apart, so handyman hubby Arvo built the main parts for a new one while we were still back in NC. He assembled it at our reunion for my folks' 60th anniversary. I added pinecones for ears and tail, and branches for antlers. The new deer with his unusual bamboo legs is now safely ensconced in my parent's front garden, cheering passersby. I am not certain he is what my mother envisioned, but I think she will grow to love him.

We have had several days of massive gatherings of all the siblings families and the feted parents at area restaurants. When the restaurants see us coming en masse, they quiver in their oven mitts and aprons. We are overwhelming - had to wait nearly one and a half hours for lunch yesterday as the small kitchen in that restaurant quadrupled their lunch hour quota with our group alone. We are loud, opinionated, and a little nutty. I am loving every minute of it, though I think we are exhausting my poor folks who are used to peace and quiet now after raising their quirky brood of five children.



We are a strange bunch, like my deer with his bamboo legs. But every time I glance out the window at that deer, the strangeness is growing on me. Similarly, the things that drove me most crazy about my family growing up are my fondest memories now and what I most love about them.

At one point, the patriarch began pontificating about the woes of our educational system to the newbie, Matt's delightful wife, Karissa.
At the other end of the table, we all heard what was revving up, which we all have heard just a *few* times before.
"Run away, Karissa!" warned my sister, but Karissa is too sweet and polite, and even...interested. She fit right in with our deer with bamboo legs, and the loud, and raucous, and maddening, and wonderful mass of humanity that is my family.

I have to often remind my children when they shake their head in dismay over who they have been saddled with (as mother) that it is no accident they were placed in this family. God knows just what He is doing, and never makes mistakes. There must be something of eternal value that this family can teach and part of our mission is learning to love and revel in what is uniquely and wonderfully present behind all those quirks and habits that make us shudder when we are young, and smile when we are old.

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God has not left himself without a witness in doing good – giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, and filling you with food and your hearts with joy. Acts 14:17




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http://www.amazon.com/Vicky-Kaseorg/e/B006XJ2DWU