Day 43 – Blessed in Every Way

What makes a day blessed in every way?

Notice the day is bright and sunny and see on the weather app it will reach 75 degrees.
Pick up your favorite Aunt at her apartment at 9:30.
Take a drive down to the Missouri River and visit the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center that tells the history of the Lewis and Clark Expedition in this area. It was here that the only member of their retinue, Sgt. Floyd, got sick and died. Walk the trail down to the river and see the beauty of the turning leaves in the morning sunlight.
Drive down to the Southern Hills Mall and visit with your cousin, who is also your goddaughter, during her morning break at work.
Have lunch together at the “Iron Hill Bar and Grill” in the Mall and enjoy a soup, salad and half a sandwich combo as you talk over “old times” and memories of the days when you lived in the area.
Drive through the glorious Fall afternoon and the fields of NW Iowa to the town where your Father and Aunt grew up. Drive past the old farm place and marvel how much it has changed in the 59 years since you can remember visiting there.
Take a swing past the “old place” where you lived with your Mom and brothers while your Dad was stationed in Vietnam. It’s all farmland now, but allow the memories to come flooding back as you see the place where the lane had been and remember the mornings you walked that lane – through sun, rain, or snow – to catch the school bus into town.
Take a trip through the cemetery in town and find all the relatives graves. Say a prayer of gratitude for these ancestors who gave you a part of who you are today.
Drive past the site where the the old school building stood where your Father went to High School and where you went to Middle School for one year when he was in Vietnam. Allow for the sadness that comes with knowing all things change with time.
Drive down to the corner by the park where the town is working to make a Veterans Memorial for all those who have served our country.
Stop at your cousin’s house, which was also the site of your Aunt’s house, and where you remember many happy gatherings when you lived in the area.
Take a side trip to a neighboring town to visit another Aunt who is in an elder care facility. Share stories; laugh and cry together as you remember your Uncle playing his guitar and singing.
Rush on to the next town where you meet two more cousins at the “Pizza Ranch” for a buffet dinner. Laugh a lot; tell stories; jokes; and reminiscence about playing together when you were kids and you were visiting them when they lived in Minnesota. Share about your kids and hear about theirs; and their grand kids; share pictures and hear about projects they are working on.
Eat too much, but enjoy every bite – not only because it is delicious, but because you have lively and engaging dinner partners with whom you are connected on this branch of the family tree.
Drive back to your Aunt’s apartment and your motel in the dark.
Say a prayer of gratitude for the blessings of beauty; perfect weather; family; memories; old towns; old farms; history; good food and good fun.