Memorial Day = My Family

Dear Literary Loves,
Well, Memorial Day always reminds me to be thankful for my family.  We're not a famous family mind you, but I'm actually quite grateful that we are NOT the Kardashians.  As a family we hold out own though in the unique category.  For instance, my dad goes every Memorial Day to his brother's grave in Greensboro, N.C.  Dad's brother served multiple tours of duty in Vietnam.  In one tour, he stepped on a land mine and was only allowed treatment under the shoddy circumstances of what the military called a field hospital in the jungles of Vietnam.  Because of this he developed malaria.  He survived, returned home to a country that was unappreciative of his efforts, and prompted went to work in a factory.  One day he passed out while at work.  Dad later learned his brother had acute leukemia.  He did get the best treatment his family could afford at the time, but dad's brother didn't make it and died before I was born.  There's no one left that really misses and appreciates his brother more than my dad.  Every Memorial Day he goes and cleans his brother's tombstone, places a crisp flag and flowers by the grave, and prays.  He just sent me the iphone photo today.  And dad is such a trooper.  He has survived two bouts of Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma and a stem cell transplant.  What a trooper.

My mom came from a family of eleven.  Yeah, you read that correctly.  My maternal grandmother actually had twelve kids, but one died at birth and the only the youngest child was born at a hospital.  My grandmother gave birth at home with only the help of the local midwife.  Mom survived her dad dying of throat cancer and her mother dying after suffering an acute epileptic seizure while picking apples on top of a giant hill in her front yard.  Mom gave up high school to go get a job and help take care of the rest of the family since she was the oldest girl.  Mom's been a trooper throughout life enduring dad's cancers and treatment along with her own breast cancer diagnosis.  Mom still works part time and does her own yard work.  Dad says I get my looks from mom and my backbone from his side of the family. 

My brother is a seriously bad ass dude.  I'm not lying.  When we walk along the beach side by side while vacationing in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, people get out of his way.  He's a tough looking dude and you never want to get him ticked off, but inside, he's just a gem.  And he can seriously cut and color some hair.  He's due to arrive next week to go to lunch with me for my birthday.  And he is bringing mom and dad along with him.  Here's hoping you have your unique family with you sometime this summer season so you can be grateful for what God gave you as well.