I think sometimes you can look forward to something TOO much. This weekend was to be the big sort of family reunion. My brother and his family were going to fly here Thursday, but Sunday his wife was admitted into the hospital with pancreatitis due to a gall stone in the pancreatic duct, and yesterday she had emergency gall bladder surgery. They had to cancel their tickets, and we're praying for her quick recovery. We're still waiting to see if my cousin and his girlfriend will be able to make it up. He is an Air Force pilot who had to go fly somewhere, and we're not sure if he will get back in time to come.

So we're disappointed, but we will soldier on. Even though we are not a close family geographically, we all keep up with each other by phone calls, emails, and blogs, and we look forward to those rare times when we can all be together. Evidently this time wasn't meant to be one of them. I guess that is what heaven will be for.