It's absolutely, astonishing; how in a matter of hours your life can change. This morning my friend Jenifer and I went to Joanne's and Hobby Lobby to look for materials to make a banner for the Torpedo's. Jen and I are still getting to know each other; and so we were talking about our families. I explained that I have one brother, but we don't speak to each other; and I have an Aunt who lives about 20 minutes away from me; but we aren't very close. I told Jen that I wished that I had more family; and she told me about hers.
I think I've mentioned before that Richie Howell was an only child; but my mom wasn't. My mom was the youngest of four. Her oldest brother, Harold; lived in California with his wife Maxine and their daughters Michelle and Jackie. Her brother Bubby (yes, Bubby;)his wife Marsha and their sons, Steven and Mitchell; lived n Spring Valley, about 20 minutes from where I grew up, and her sister Fran, her husband Harvey and their sons, Jeff and Burt; moved to Maryland when I was 6. I remember visiting our California family when I was three; but we never went back; nor did they come to New York. During different periods of my childhood; we were estranged from all of my mom's siblings and their families; so I never really knew any of my cousins while I was growing up.
After both of my parents had passed away; I barely heard from "my family;" but somehow, which oddly enough I can't remember; I got in touch with my cousin Jackie; who was married and living in Massachusetts. It was Spring break 1988 and it just so happened that I was going to be in Massachusetts for a couple of days; and we arranged to get together. Even though I didn't know Jackie at all; it felt very nice to be connected to someone in my family. We kept in touch for awhile; but then somehow ( which again, I don't remember;) we lost touch.
Now every once and a while, I would check Facebook to see if Steven and Mitchell were there; and tonight, in a VERY roundabout way, I found my cousin Jackie. I sent her a brief message; and within a few minutes, she had emailed me and told me how happy she was to hear from me. Within 2 emails we were Facebook friends and immediately started IM'ing. We chatted for at least 2 hours; and we were both ecstatic. It turns out that Jackie, her husband and her younger daughter (who's 21) live in California; and her older daughter; who's 25, lives right here in AZ; in Chandler.
I wasn't sure what I was going to blog about tonight, and I got on Facebook thinking that I might find something to write about; and boy did I! The nicest thing is; that what I found to write about, is ever so much more important than this one post. I wound up finding JUST WHAT I NEEDED!! Jackie told me that I made her day and her night and I told her that this made me very happy because I had always wanted a cousin; to which she wrote "you now have 4," - (her, her 2 daughters and her husband.)
What a difference a few hours can make indeed.
Till next time...
Queen of EVERYTHING
1 comment:
VERY COOL!!! Glad you found your cousins...I have found several on FB too! :):):):):):):):):):):):):):):)
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