In this photo: my father’s brother Dwight, their father, and their sister Drexel. They were together for Father’s Day; only a few months later, my grandfather died at age 96. See Papa’s ears? Gonna have a pair just like them if I live to be 96.
First, let me tell you: If you are ever sitting at your computer plugging information into ancestry.com, surrounded by photos of your dead relatives and research paperwork that still smells like your mother’s home(s), and Barber’s “Adagio for Strings” cycles through on iTunes, STEP AWAY FROM THE COMPUTER. Go outside with some crazy dogs and breathe.
Drexel is Cousin Rachel’s mother, and though I have other stories to tell about her, this is one of my favorites.
Some of you, okay, maybe none of you, remember that when we had my mother’s memorial service back in 2008, I blogged about my great-niece Rome. Her mother, my sister’s daughter Sarah, told Rome, “Aunt Becky’s lap belongs to ME.” It melted my heart, because what aunt doesn’t love to feel loved.
Another reason it so touched me is because it made me remember Aunt Drexel sitting with us in the funeral home after my father (who would always be her baby brother) died in 1985. She looked at me and patted her lap. “I’m too grown up now,” I told her, even though at least I was slender then. Her eyes sparkled as she said, “You’re not too big to sit on your aunt’s lap.” So I did, keeping as much weight as I could on the floor.
She was right. You never do get too big to sit in the lap of someone who’s loved you all your life.
I miss her. I miss them all. I’m so glad for the memories.
i love this story….. and, of course, that Uncle Dwight was a part of it. 😉
Ha ha, I might have known you’d show up as soon as Uncle Dwight put in an appearance.
Thanks. =)
coincidence? i think not.
I’ll have to see if speaking of Uncle Dwight always makes you appear. He’s sort of like Aladdin’s Lamp that way.