Saying Good-bye

After a wonderful evening of staying up late and chatting, we got a few hours of sleep and packed up for home.  As I later thought about it, this really was a family reunion.  We were missing two of our cousins and a couple of kids and spouses, but for the most part, this was a family reunion.  I offered a prayer with the family before we left, and I was overcome with emotion.  It struck me at that moment that families are powerful, they are necessary, and they are a gift from our Father in Heaven.  My dad didn't have any brothers and sisters, so my mom's two sisters and their children have been my family, and it has been a blessing that we have stayed close and that we love and get along with one another.  I was feeling deep gratitude for the power of family on this particular morning, and I hope we can do these kinds of gatherings more often.