Family

You ever notice how the ones who can take you from zero to stark-raving mad in 60 seconds are also the ones who can heal you the most completely? Goodness, for me, they've taken the form of two really close friends and five really LOUD brothers (and a sister and sisters-in-law...)

It's Derby week in Louisville, and just this year it's managed to be a family reunion, as well, as most of my brothers have come home to celebrate. (Mark is still in the Caribbean on a cruise ship for the next five months, and is suffering immensely...ha!) Thursday night, they descended on the city. We could hardly get through school and testing fast enough (Testing students with behavior disabilities and autism should be another post altogether. My word, it's gonna be a long two weeks!!). Anyway, during testing my phone vibrated nearly constantly...."Hurry up!" "We're here, where are you?" "Give me some money!" Kaela and I were practically humming with anticipation by the time we were able to leave and pick up Ben.

We grilled out Thursday night at Andrea and Billy's house (which used to be Neeny's and Grandaddy's house.) Andrea and Billy have completely renovated it and it looks amazing. Billy is HANDY! That didn't stop us from spreading out into every nook and cranny like ants from an anthill, taking baths in the good, deep bathtub, and settling into our favorite cozy spots to stretch out. We were HOME. The adage is wrong--you CAN go home again. Sometimes you need to.

Grilling out was hysterical. David, ever the observant one, kicked things off by weeding their planters for them (of the expensive, decorative grass that had been set out on purpose! We were cracking up as my sister nearly took off his hand trying to save her grasses!) Near fistfights over politics, someone broke the citronella candle, corn hole smack-talking (and the occasional errant bag hitting the occasionally in-the-wrong-place-at-the-wrong-time relative), allergies, babies laughing, cousins playing, and always the robust singing--ALWAYS music when everyone's home!--....my word. Kaela would run over to me every once in awhile and say, "I wish this day would never end." Everyone's in transition this year, and it may end up that at least two of my brothers move back to Kentucky for job/school opportunities, believe it or not. I'm trying not to be too excited.... Pete, David, and David's roommate spent the night here Thursday night, Pete headed off early yesterday on a business venture, and Dave and his friend have been based here for a few days.

Last night, we all went to the Chow Wagon on the Waterfront, and got to see Rodney Atkins in concert. The weather was perfect, the concert was low-key, and all the worries that I thought had permanently sunk to the pit of my stomach have begun to dissipate. It's hard to listen to country music in a field next to the river by the city's skyline alight with festivity with a group of people I love more than life itself and think much beyond that. (How many prepositional phrases can you fit in one sentence? Think I could've squeezed in one more? )
Thank goodness for breaks from everyday stress! :-)

Today, we've got a Derby party with former neighbor/friends, and tomorrow we're celebrating a birthday at Mom's. It's been better than a long weekend....it's been a weekend where the sun has shined (shone? either's acceptable? whatever...) bright on my old Kentucky home...even though it's rainy and gusty today and the basement is beginning to smell like college boy funk.....and I just thank the Lord for knowing what He was doing when he put this group of knuckleheads together and called us a family.