The Rootsy Family 

Dang, I'm out!

As I contemplated what I would use as a topic for this Thoughtful/Thankful Thursday, I was leaning towards the thankful side of the equation. Hands down, the number one thing that means the most to me on this earth is my family and those friends that assimilate into that group.  I am blessed to have tight family...I think those Polish genes have some kind of magnetism built into them because not only my immediate family but the whole extended lot of us stay pretty close.  

The pic to the left is of me a few years ago (hahaha) with my two older bros.  I grew up in a baseball family so naturally there would be baseball pics. I can still remember my Dad making me pose for this photo and how I was a bit flustered at being posed into the sliding position, but there was only the three of us so I was a poser by default. Of course I had to be the "bad guy" and be out!

As I said earlier my Polish roots run strong and deep so it seemed like we were always going

Grandma always threw the BEST Birthday Gigs!

an event or a party.  As a young kid this was always an exciting endeavor but as I got older and to the "I know it all" stage, it became more of a drudgery.  When you get to that point in life you get more, to be blunt, self-centered.  Now in ways that's very understandable in that you detach from your childhood family unit to start your own self-sustaining one and you have your own projects and problems to deal with. You are so busy with you that you tend to ignore those old folk that were always there for you from tiny tyke to terrible teen!  I'm not exactly trying to waggle my finger at those that are in this stage of life, but just to give a nudge to look back over your shoulder at the oldsters.  I think you'll find them looking fondly at you with dopey, corny but loving smiles.  That's how a knitted tribe works. 

Those big brothers are always there to give you a boost

With age hopefully comes wisdom.  I'm not claiming to be Solomon but I think I have learned some things as I'm cresting that hill.  Now I'm the one doing the dopey, corny but loving smiles as all those youngins' are plodding and planning their own lives. Now I know what my relatives before me were feeling...it's hard to pin those young suckers down!  

I am so thankful for my whole family and I'm sure those in the later generation do too but they just don't realize it yet! Perhaps they need a boot in the butt to wake them up and when they look over their shoulders give them a dopey, corny and loving smile, but with just a trace of grin mixed in :)