Impromptu dinner parties are perhaps the best kind. Especially when they are with the people you love most.
The day of Miles’ birthday party led to just that sort of dinner. Everyone had come for the morning party, but no one was in a hurry to leave. My brother was staying to help us paint. My youngest sister was staying to work with me on finishing the pictures for the book. My mom was staying because she loves me.
So Sweet Man decided he better “feed all these Jacksons” and grilled us up a feast.
For years I have been saying that I wished my whole family and my best friends lived on my street and for years they have teased me about this saying that I only want them close so I can rook them into my various crafting and entertaining schemes, or to use as perpetual babysitters.
But it’s not true. I wish they were closer because I like being with them. Because they get me. Because my kids adore them. Because we can speak in our own special code that only we understand. Because I love them and they love me.
If there is one thing I am often envious of, it is large families who live close enough to see each other daily. Who can have family dinners once a week. Who can run between houses to borrow shoes or cups of sugar or lawn mowers. Who are there for the little moments as well as the big.
But I am not complaining. Having most of my family only an hour a way is a huge blessing. It means that there are many more impromptu gatherings than not. It means when things are dire, when one of us needs help, or when things are great and when one of us needs celebrating, we all just one Project Runway episode length away from coming together.
I guess I just know a good thing when I see it, and I can’t help but want more of it. And my sweet family is truly the best thing of all. So call me greedy. I can take it.
Beautiful post. My family and close family friends get together every Sunday night for dinner and this post was a wonderful reminder of how lucky we are to be able to spend that time together each week.
Happy Friday!
Cara
You are so right to enjoy what you have!!
hi jerusalem,
what a lovely post and beautifully captured in words and photos, as always.
happy summer wishes
xo
elyse
lovely post and feelings. i am the same way about my own family; they are the best and i love and adore them. and they get me and love me despite my ways. wish i'd win the lottery so i could buy a big old building and turn it into all our homes, so we could all be together in one space. that's probably not going to happen, but better than that is that we are all together in our hearts and, ultimately, Heaven. 🙂
thanks for all you share on your blog. it's very inspiring.
kathy
Well said Jerusalem! I love how much your family means to you. I've also always been envious of big, close families. We don't have any near us and haven't for 12 years. We really look forward to having that with both of our girls and their families when they grow up so there is still hope for us. I wouldn't be surprised if both of our girls settle in our Village also.
Thanks for reminding me how blessed I am. I've been so missing my oldest sister, who lives in NC (I'm in SoCal), but I forget that I am so blessed to have my parents and other sister's family just five minutes away.