The joy of watching memories being made

Below is what I wrote about this event in 2007 but nothing has changed and I can't say it any better now so I will just share this again~

Here it is again..the weekend I look forward to and dread at the same time. I grew up walking up the road to our church BBQ each year and my mom was a huge contributor to the success of it. She helped prepare the slaw, potatoes and cornbread. We all hung out the night before with everyone at the "pit" as the pork cooked overnight. We only lived two houses down from the church so it was a fun time. There was music,lots of loud talk and I am sure drinking...and early the next morning the meat had to be pulled and so at around 6 am everyone gathered to do just that.Each year we went, we ate, we worked and we made memories. After I went away to college and later moved away from home, I still came back each year. Although I had long "outgrown" the small country church, the annual BBQ was home to me..and I knew it meant so much to my mom. All the proceeds went to the cemetery fund and that was a cause she was close to as so many of her family (and of course mine) were buried there. The funny thing is I grew up playing in the cemetery, we played "hopscotch" on the foot stones, we had seances, and played hide n seek. I guess living so close to what we called a "graveyard" made me totally at peace with it and totally unafraid.
The BBQ that is etched in my memory is the one in 2002 which unfortunately was also the last time I saw my mom alive. I don't remember how much time I actually spent with her that night, I don't know what I said, but I do know I said "I love you" before I went home. I was newly married (for only a few weeks) so I imagine I was busy talking to people about that. I really meant to see her soon afterward. We had just returned from our honeymoon in Spain and I had a photo album I put together that I wanted her to see. They had travelled to the same area of Spain years before so I was anxious to "compare notes" with her. I know I talked to her on a Sunday on the way home from the lake...I told her I would see her on Tuesday. I don't remember now why I changed it to Thursday...I really don't. I just know that on Wednesday night I got a call that would shake me to the core. My dad came home from work and found my mom on the kitchen floor. She died suddenly from a brain aneurysm and I was left wondering why I hadn't seen her in a few weeks. It took me a long time to deal with the regret of that two day change of plans decision....So this weekend we went to the BBQ as usual and it was so fun watching Annslee run around, laugh and "shop" at the country store like I used to. I somehow now think it is fitting that I saw my mom last in this place that meant so much to her....I only wish she could have met her grand daughter..they would have been big buds!

*I will just add that as Annslee gets older her sassafrass ways remind me so much of my mom's personality and believe me she and Coby would have been big buds too. She raised three girls and then was blessed with only grandsons while still living and loved those boys dearly.

*side part added to sanctuary later so the church I grew up in was much smaller than it is now*



Here is a little flashback from years past~no, no pics of me as a child (I will dig some up)

BBQ 2006 (Annslee holding a bottle for a friend's child..practicing her big sister skills early)



BBQ 2007



BBQ 2008




When we arrived this year Coby wasn't sure what to make of all this



It was unbearably hot and Annslee knew just the thing to cool her off after dinner : )



Coby enjoyed a game of "pee pie" with cousin Shelby



Annslee and her crazy cousins Gabe and Jacob..yeah, of course this is the pose they gave me *Annslee's shirt says 'don't blame me- I was born awesome'



Annslee and cousin Gabe rode the cow train over and over!! They are 9 months apart in age and had a great time together~ much laughter was heard as they always insisted on riding togther and screaming "go SUPER fast"



Annslee held Coby in the train but I was afraid to let him ride with her because it does go kind of fast and over some big bumps in the field



He kept watching Annslee having fun so I decided to take him for a ride..Annslee squealed from the seat behind us the whole ride "Coby a big boy now riding the train!!"



I think Coby had a pretty good time even without riding the train : )



Sweet girl gives us this sign all the time



We stayed late and Coby was tired but never slept on the way home (we had the VBS music playing and he was dancing) I heard Annslee laughing and this was the view I saw in the back



I like to think my Mom sent this beautiful sunset to us tonight



*can you believe I almost didn't take my camera tonight...so glad I did*