How We Got A Fish Called Mo

To my son Tommy,

We had two family functions today.  Though many of the people were the same at each event, the reason for each were quite different.

The first event today was, as your Uncle Rah-Ray said, Happy Nansy-mas!  Every year around Nansy's birthday, we find a weekend day and get together and celebrate her b-day and decorate her house for Christmas.  It is a morning filled with food, fun, cheer, and confusion.  Ornaments are set out and arrange and re-arranged.  I think every little figurine is touched by a dozen hands and sees about a dozen adjustments.  It is quite comical if you sit back and watch a bit.  Your Great Aunt Lizzie and your Bwama and of course Nansy are the key directors of decorations.  I always sit back and imagine them with a General Patton starred combat helmet as they try to whip there reluctant recruits into an elite decorating squad.

Unfortunately, something set you off today.  That is to say set you off medically.  Not sure if it was the dust or the fresh garland, but all of a sudden you had an asthma attack.  Our visit was cut short and we went home for a mask treatment and a nap.  But the time we did have up there was great.

The second event today was a memorial or remembrance or wake of sorts for your Great Grandma Frazier. As we were getting ready to head over to your cousins' house, you asked your mom where we were going and what we were doing and why.  Your mother was a bit lost with explaining this type of thing to a three year old, so I stepped in.  I explained that we were going to remember the life of Grandmom Frazier and be there to support and comfort Pop-pop who had lost his mommy.  I continued to explain we were going to tell stories and laughs and memories and generally just be together as a family.  I figured, though I tried to make it as simple as possible, that my explanation was flying right over your head.

We went over and re-introduced you to every one there.  You played well with and enjoyed seeing your cousins Logan and Ethan.  People hugged and said hi and looked at a collage that your Pop-pop had put up with pictures of your great grandmother.  Everyone dined and talked and played and caught up.  Then there was a moment that it was you and Pop-pop on the couch and you asked him in the most sincerest and compassionate way, "Are you sad you lost your mommy?"

I will never doubt you again when it comes to grasping big concepts.  You soon went off to play some more, sharing and showing you ipad with your cousins, and ultimately you found a bunch of toys in the downstairs room and were very content for the rest of the night.  But in those quick seven words you had shown you knew what was going on.

You ended up with a helicopter and a goldfish from the whole event.  How that happened is still a bit of a mystery to me and makes my head spin.  You do owe Aunt Keri and Logan and Ethan a big thank you for the toy and for the fish you decided we will call Mo.

As I ponder each event of the day, I really don't think they were that different.  When it comes down to it, each event was about family and love and being there with and for one another.  Those make the best weekend events.

Sincerely with love from your dad,
Leo