Family Fun...

So this week, I've spent with my extended family at the Hilton Grand Vacation Resort in Orlando.  It's been quite the week actually... in fact, I believe the last time we got together a group of this magnitude was 1998, also here in Orlando.  The families have grown... my cousins family trees' have branched and I honestly think we had more kids here than adults this week.  Cranium, Cards, Golf, Sea World, Pool, Beach, Ping Pong, Shuffleboard, Chess, Snacking, Sunning, Talking, Eating, Snacking, Repeat.  What could be better?  I'm blessed to have some pretty interesting cousins, as well as cousin-in-laws, and it's made for a good week.  I was honestly a bit apprehensive about spending the money to come all the way back to the east coast, but the family had sort of planted a stake in the ground on the dates, and everyone made an effort to get here.  I'm glad to say, it was worth every penny.  It's funny how, the older I get, the more I appreciate my family.  Especially being that I'm still single... and well, don't have a nuclear family of my own quite yet, but being here this week has somewhat reconfirmed the fact that I love my family.  Even if I don't get to see them all quite often, and well, don't even really communicate with them all that often either.  Fortunately, several of us are bloggers, and we manage to share our lives, and even have a genuine interest in each others' lives... which is good, in my opinion.  So seeing everyone in the flesh this week has been great.  In addition to some real good conversations with some of my cousin-in-laws... (I've got tons of female cousins, and two male cousins... one of which didn't come... so that makes for a fair amount of cousin-in-laws, if you get my drift) anyway- in addition to catching up with my cousins' husbands... getting some good quality pool time in with the nieces and cousins' kids was another highlight.  There is nothing more fun than making the little ones' happy.  And it seems to be so simple some times... my nieces are the greatest though... My sister has done such a good job raising them to be so well behaved...  but they LOVE to play- especially in the pool.  It's funny how I can see the changes in them since last summer, when I saw them after coming back from Japan.  Madison, the middle one, who is the artist in the bunch... was quite timid in the pool last year.  This year, there isn't much she won't do in the pool.  One of her favorites is to have me throw her in the water.  Her frankness is sometimes stunning as well... 'Grandpa throws better than you! (in a stern matter-of-fact tone)' was one that I heard this week... which had to make me smile... and of course, the never ending requests' to 'Throw me Uncle Hal!', 'Let me ride on your back Uncle Hal!', 'Flip me Uncle Hal!' and 'Let's be Alligators (or Sharks, minnows, or insert waterborne-creature here) Uncle Hal!' from her or Katie or Claire, or anyone of the other kids... it truly was a delight.  Being a childless single man, I don't get nearly as much interaction with kids of these age, actually none, really.  But I truly enjoy spending time with them, and helping them have a good time... and honestly, after seeing all my friends blogging about their kids, I now understand even a little more, why they do it.  Kids are truly a blessing... in fact... doesn't the Bible say something about Kids?  Jesus said..."Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these."

Thanks God, for Kids.  And especially thanks for my wonderful family.  And I'm especially thankful to my Grandmother for raising all her kids as Christians.  What a wonderful heritage you've got Grandma.  This week was a visible testament to all that you've done over the years.

Well, I'm staying up all night tonight.  It's currently 8:49 Hawaii time, and 2:49AM Orlando time, I'm sitting at the table in my parent's condo here waiting for my dad to wake up at 4:30 and so kindly drive me to the Airport.  I've learned you've got to be straight up offensive on getting even with Jet-Lag, so I've decided to take no prisoners.  No sleep for me, until I saddle into 22A on that Continental 757-300 at 6:30 this morning.

Later.  Maybe once I get back to spending a little more time on my Island, I'll stop blogging about my Jet-Lag so much.