Loretta's Three Sons

Yesterday, Bob and I drove down the NYS Thruway to visit at the home of his brother. The car was quite and peaceful. Bob and I were completely alone which is a rare occurrence for us as we are typically surrounded by family and friends and,although this is a great blessing to us, it was absolutely wonderful to be alone and without distractions. We are busier than ever in these "golden years" and a quiet time alone together is all the more precious to me.
Anyway, we were traveling to Bob's brother's home to celebrate the "In-law Christmas". Because Loretta gave birth to 3 boys rather than 3 girls, the brothers and their families get-together on a day other than Christmas day. When we arrived, we were greeted at the front door and could see that Bob's youngest brother and his wife and son had arrived before us and were already enjoying the festivities. It was a small gathering this year but I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of our time together. On the way home I wondered what made the experience so special for me. This is what I came up with:
It is nice to feel so comfortable and so at home with one's in-laws - people who have known you for years and accept you in spite of your idiosyncrasies. They don't mind that I like to use my disposable hand towel and my tea bag more than once. They don't mind that I close my eyes for a little while and listen to the conversation from a distance as I zone out in a completely peaceful and relaxed state.
I didn't have to raise a finger to do a thing but I was allowed to help out a bit if it made me happy. People who know me well know that sitting still for too long is a true hardship for me.
One family member recently had some major surgery but was recovering nicely. Anyone who has ever been there knows the glow you feel when the hospital experience is over and the memory is gradually becoming more and more distant.
Once again, I enjoyed the family's famous sense of humor. What a tremendous gift this sense of humor has proven to be over the years. It is one of the reasons I fell in love with Bob in the first place. These three guys could truly be a sitcom and it would be a winner. It is such a pleasure to sit back and watch them in action.
I thought about the fact that between the three couples we had close to 100 years of marriage. That has to be some kind of a record in this day and age.
I thought about Loretta, the woman who gave birth to these three great men. I know she was there in spirit yesterday as nothing made her happier than being together with her three sons. I wore her wedding rings to bring her with me into our gathering.
So all in all it was not just a good day - it was a great day- and I thank God for such a blessing.