Monday, August 15, 2005

Performances and family connections...

Yesterday my son was alternatively bored and elated at his grandfather's 70th birthday party. He wanted to go home and not stay in the restaurant but he also loved singing "For he's a jolly good fellow" with grandpa. His emotions are so great to watch as he got so excited. He spent the last half hour of the party taking the menus out of their wall box and handing them to all the guests at their seats even though the dining segment of the party was clearly over. He even gave menus to restaurant guests who were not part of our party.

My sister put together a scrap book of photos of my dad from birth through to today. A great shot of him holding all four of his grand-kids. I wonder if my son will see them differently than he will photos of my wife's family.

At one point my son tried climbing up an empty wooden high chair. The kind that every restaurant has. He fell off hitting his head on the base of the wall and needed to be held to be comforted. It was at this moment that I was called upon to say something in front of the assembled celebrants. I mentioned that how even though only his siblings were here and not all the nieces and nephews I knew they all cared for him very much. As the youngest of his siblings my dad became the special uncle in his family and that the love they had for him was well deserved and they all wished him congrats even though they were at the table with us today. Again my thoughts momentarily wondererd what my son's connections will be to this extended family of mine that is spread out across the country. And for that matter their thoughts of him once they learn of his origins. Most of us lose connections over time to our parent's cousins distant and near ...does it make it easier or harder for a DI child to do so?

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