Big Family

I just read a snippet on another blog about a woman who just died at 83 who bore 22 children over the course of 27 years. Now that is a lot of children! It mentioned one of the children interviewed for the article naming all her siblings in birth order without hesitating.
I reminded me of something my father recently told me about my grandfather. He is one of 10 ( I think, one of my siblings can correct me if I have that number wrong) and in his eighties. Some of his siblings have died. My father says that every now and then he makes a list of them, reading through their names, reminding himself of who has died and who is still alive. Even as I think about as I type it makes me teary. How tender. And I wonder if one day I will do the same, thinking of my dear sisters and brother and further on, if when I am gone and my children have each other, will they make a list, and remember fondly the blessings of family. It is truly an exquisite, warm and bittersweet thought.
In the end, I must thank my parents who taught me and my siblings to love each other. And God who made me fortunate enough to be their daughter.