Independence Day Wash Out

Some people may be disappointed by rain on the fourth of July, some people may look for alternative plans, but not our crew. When we woke up and heard the rain drops hitting the roof, we were relieved. Rain means  one thing here at the Hayes House...Relaxation. We slept in, we went for breakfast, we drove back roads admiring the countryside, we even ended up in Gordansville on this rainy holiday.
By 4pm, the four of us made our way to Mildred's for a cook-out. It poured the rain at times there too, but Matt and Keith were on a mission to host a cook out and they pulled through. They even put on a nice firework display after dark. The rest of us watched them from under the dry porch. Riverfront was nice last year and we thought about going again this year, but in this weather we were more content to stay close to home.

I thought about Kelly several times while we were there. It just feels like a missing link at our family gatherings these days. You could always count on Kelly to be there when family got together. Even these last few years as her health declined, she still made her way to family functions. As the saying goes..."time heals all wounds", it's just going to take a while to get used to her absence.
She touched so many lives. How fortunate she is for so many people to miss her now that she is gone. There are many who walk this earth for years and when they are gone, there absence goes unnoticed.
I realize the importance of time with family more and more as I get older. Time together is cherished forever. Don't miss these limited opportunities to be with those who love you most. We spent the day running in and out of the rain trying to keep dry, but we were together and that is what matters.  I end this post with one of my favorite quotes...

It's not where you go or what you do, it's who is beside you that counts.