Visiting Mom And Dad...

This is the weekend my siblings and I gather at the local cemetery and place flowers on the headstones of our parents. We also take a couple of pictures, one of the siblings and one of our kids, and now, their kids.

It was especially nice today. The overcast skies made for a pleasant meeting. The cemetery was full of color, tokens of love and memories. We added roses from home and mixed them with the ones already donated by my brother and sister and their families. We caught up, watched my niece's son explore the surroundings of a place he could not possibly understand, all as the stone with my parents's name etched into the stone lay on the ground before us.

The longer I live in this community, the more names I recognize. It seems each time we have our little mini family reunion, we see someone from our past, someone who knew our parents. There's probably more people in the cemetery who knew my dad than are still alive. My mom, however, that's not the case. Today we ran into a past neighbor and star athlete in high school. It was fun catching up.

After we took our pictures and promised to meet at a future date, we loaded up our van and headed home. Of my siblings, I'm the closest to my parents's final resting place. On any given week I drive past the cemetery several times, but I usually only stop and walk the several feet from where I park my car to their graves twice a year--on Memorial Day and on my mom's birthday in October. 

Our Memorial Day tradition began back when my mother was alive and only one name appeared on the stone. Decades earlier, back when plots were still available in our local cemetery, my parents bought five, two for them and one for each of their children. I have no idea what the future brings, but I'd like to think our children continue the tradition and not only visit their grandparents, but also their parents. I hope they stand together and pose for a picture and that their children will do the same.

It's amazing how time works. In the decades and perhaps, centuries that are to come, the headstones will slowly erode and eventually disappear. But on a spring day with clouds protected us from the heat and glare, a few people who owe their lives to the ones no longer with us, met and chatted and renewed the bond of family.

Knight Family Pie Fest...Yes, We Pie'd

Today is November, 13th. For the past twelve blog posts in a row I've written about NaNoWriMo and the fact I'm participating for the very first time in the event.

It's taken up a lot of my time.

But today, I'm deviating from the norm and writing about something else.

Pies.

A few years ago my brilliant cousin came up with fun idea. Around Thanksgiving we would meet at her house in the Salt Lake Valley, eat pies, and enjoy each other's company. We call it, 

The Knight Family Pie Fest.

Great name.

Great event.

Great pies.

We just got back and I'm still full of pies. What makes the event even more fun is that we see relatives we don't see that often, families of my first cousins along with my siblings. We used to get together more often, back when there weren't so many. But now, it's tough to find the time.

At least, that's what we tell ourselves.

So, thanks Alicia and Garry for hosting, for everyone else for bringing the deliciousness with, and for another great night. See you all next year!

Memorial Day, 2015...At The Cemetery

My friend linked a story on Facebook today about one veteran's opinion of Memorial Day. He basically hated the way the holiday is more connected to the beginning of summer than a time to remember those who have gone before. In his opinion, he would rather people spend time in cemeteries than at the mall.

Because both my parents are gone, their children gather each Memorial Day at the local cemetery. I'm glad I read that article because it made this morning's visit even better. All my parent's kids and all but three of their grandkids were there--we even had a great-granddaughter make everyone smile.

Sure, we had a barbecue and even did a little yard work, but the hour we spent having a mini-family reunion at the Farmington Cemetery was the best part of the day. Thanks to my dad for his military service and all he did for us before he passed away. Thanks to my mother who put her husband through college and then raised three kids on her own after losing her husband. And thanks to them both for choosing me to be part of a wonderful family.