The importance of family

 JB's dear Aunt Becky passed away from cancer last week. I remember how kind and funny she always was to me since I met her. I pray her sweet husband and children and grandchildren will feel peace. I admire the closeness of the Richards cousins, and give a lot of credit to my in-laws for working hard through the years to keep the families connected.

Many Richards family members came into town for the viewing and funeral. My little kids all had no school and I had work that day to juggle, but JB was able to go north to the funeral.  He caught a picture with some of his family members who were there.

The remaining living children of Rulon and Golda: Malcolm, Harriet and John.

I am grateful they were all able to attend and be together, after a year of funerals restricted by the pandemic. 

I am also grateful for Pauline's invitation to have family over for dinner on Saturday to be together again before people flew or drove back home. Here are a lot of the second cousins at John and Pauline's house.

Here is JB with his Texas cousins, Greg and Ryan. They have gotten along really well their whole lives, and we really enjoy their families.

I hope and pray our children will grow up to be close with both sides of our family. I think there is a power in staying connected to your roots and to your family. You feel more of a sense of self, knowing where you came from, and the family who came before you.  We shared lots of family stories and memories with our kids this Memorial Day weekend.