Bless Us O Lord

Grandpa Bob leading the blessing at Jen & Shawn's wedding

I was raised Catholic and before meals we would recite a blessing together. As we raised our kids we did the same for them. When we would visit anyone in my family they would also say the same prayer.
When we would visit my parents my dad added a quick "dig in!" right after Amen. The kids would try to beat him to it. Such a simple thing that left such lasting memories that when Jennifer got married she asked Grandpa Bob to lead the prayer. People outside the family thought we had practiced just for the wedding.
Yesterday I started to well up when the kids were here and I noticed that most of them know our prayer and all of them threw in the "dig in!" They know Grandpa Bob even though they never  met him. Thanks for the memories Dad. I wonder what the kids will remember about me.

Bless us O Lord and these thy gifts which we are about to receive
From thy bounty through Christ our Lord. Amen 
Dig In!

The Road Not Taken

I have found myself lately saying to Tom "I can't believe this our life". He doesn't understand what I mean and I guess neither do I. Who thinks that by the time they reach their 50's they will be half of a stay at home couple with a whole new generation of children growing up in their house.  Shouldn't we be going on cruises and buying a luxury car? When we moved to Maryland the longest we had ever been anywhere was less than three years. Our plan then was to stay until Jennifer graduated HS and then travel the world with Tom's new job. Ten years later we're still here and if I must say pretty content with our choices.

 

The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear,
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I marked the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Robert Frost

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY