grads, and wedding showers

June is the month for graduations and wedding showers.  Yesterday was the day for all off these. 

First off it poured all Friday night, Mark was told to come into work and move machines.  He drives a huge truck and moves huge machines.  He got to work and it was still raining, but he moved machines none-the-less.  He was soaked all day and the truck he drove was not his and had no heat.  I took pity on him and let him skip the parties.  I've learned over the years to pick my battles with my hubby, if I really wanted him to go he would have, I opted to take Liz and her boyfriend Mike. 

First up was a wedding shower of a co-worker, I don't really know this girl have no idea why I was invited, but since her party was the same time as my cousin's graduation party, I chose to drop off the food tray I made, & gift to my monitor's house to take for me.

On to my cousin's party.  These are emotional deals as we rarely see each other.  She is from a family of  three girls and two boys and they all tend to fight and at times stop speaking to each other for years.  I was greeted by my male cousin (her brother) who delayed his exit to talk to me.  I made small talk with the rest of the cousins, catching up on the family drama relating to kids, their father, their ex's, my dad, etc.  These cousins are from my mom's side of the family.  Out of my mother's four sibs there is only one uncle left, he has moved away to Missouri and is not speaking to anyone either.  Wow totally disfunctional wouldn't you say!  Thank God for therapy!  Near the end of my visit the cousin who is the daughter of my non-talking uncle arrived with her husband and children.  Of course she cried, she's a good kid, who got a raw deal from her parents, but is an excellent parent herself.  She took good care of my father when my mom was dying and I will always be thankful to her.  I have rounded up some pictures I have of her when she was a baby and a young girl and am sending them off to her.  When her parents moved she got nothing from her childhood. 

It's always nice to visit with this side of the family, but it reinforces why my father moved us an hour away from these folks.  He didn't like drama and either do I.

Last party was for the daughter of my best from high school.  The graduate is a lovely girl, but very, very sheltered.  My friend divorced the grad's dad many years ago and her daughter became her whole life.  K is going to Chicago for college.  I am not sure which one mother or daughter will freak out first.  Hopefully she will swallow her normal fears and stick out the freshman jitters.  She's a very intelligent talented girl, she could accomplish a lot, if allowed to fly.

Life is a strange and wonderful thing.  And family and old friends?  Nice place to visit, but glad I don't live there!