Family

I was checking out cousin blogs the other day and came across Ben Whitehead's blog, he has some photos from their Grandma Ruth's funeral. Aunt Celeste is just as beautiful as I remember her, in the picture she is wearing a red jacket and it is very striking. She is holding a little blonde girl in the photo that could be Polly, I am not sure who's child she is, but it struck me that I have been missing and reminiscing about my childhood spent with many cousins. I always had so much fun when all the cousins lived here in Alaska and I would see everyone at the Holidays.
I thought my older cousins were the coolest, Dolly, Sherri, Valissa and Tyler, then they all moved away and it was just us and the "Other" Oborn's. Tammy and I were now the oldest and then they moved away and my Dad moved away. We didn't have the huge family gatherings any more, by that time I was too cool for family anyway (so I thought). I really miss the just hanging out and visiting. I find myself actually getting emotional about it. I think the last time I saw most of the cousins was in San Louis Obispo at the Players.

I miss my Brothers and Sisters, my baby sister will be 30 in January, hard to beleive. I have one brother, Todd Kevin, his wife Angie, Neice baby Lily and Nephew Dylan here in Alaska. Mom and Jerry call Alaska home they are helping take care of Jerry's Mom and Dad right now. Grandma just had hip replacement surgery and Grandpa has Parkinson's. "My Other Brother" Todd Edward and his wife Jen in Nebraska (who are the proud new guardians of Jen's 13 year old cousin HaiLee). Sister Desiree' is in California. Sister Tonia and Nephew Mihailo in Seattle. Baby Sister Theresa in Oregon. Brothers Zack, Brian and Baby Brother Brandon in Lake Stevens with Dad and Arlene

I treasure the calls from my Sisters, I love to hear what they are up to, and try talking them into moving back to Alaska every chance I get.
After Grandpa and Grandma Endresen passed away last year, we were all together at the house in Seward. All Dad's kids were there for the weekend and even though it was a good bye I was a happy time for us, it was the first time in ten years we had all been together. I love my family so much and yet don't know most of them very well and it makes me sad.

Jessica is now one of the "Older" second cousins, she loves hanging out with Tammy and
Tressa's girls. Kaitlyn really misses Becky's Gabby, she was in our Daisy Girl Scout Troop.

Anyway, I just love reading everyone's blogs and checking out Facebook to see what everyone is up to. Don't worry, I won't fall into a slump about times gone by. I am glad that my girls have family to have fun with. I am not really sure how our parents made the time to have all of those gatherings anyway.

Not So Bad

So, I have really been spending a lot of time on this "40" thing. I am not sure why, maybe I thought I was supposed to have some epiphany and now have all the "right" answers to my questions. Not happening, I have been thinking for a while now that I really do not feel like I should be turning 40, I mean that is kind of getting up there and aren't you supposed to have your, um, stuff together by this time in life?
I started a little too early on some things, we won't go into those, a little later on others, like having my first child at age 25 and my second at age 34. I do own my own home, of that I am very proud. I own a car and a minivan, they serve us well, the latter as a camper in the summer and a Girl Scout shuffler in the winter.
For the most part I am happy being single, I do not need to ask anyone when I want to spend money, on the other hand I do not have someone to hang out with.
I find that I am more comfortable with myself, I am still learning about me, of course but things that used to irritate the heck out of me don't even matter anymore.
SEIZE THE DAY AND HUG YOUR KIDS, live life to its fullest and know that your children are getting older every day too.
I am rambling on and on and on. My point is.... Turning 40 is no big deal!!!!