I'm a Webb too

Today I went to the funeral for my Uncle Everette. He was my grandfather's brother and 2nd oldest in the Webb family. He was 92. No one disagrees that is a good full life. I lost my grandfather 17 years ago. It's hard to believe.

I sat between my mom and dad in the church pew today with no Kleenex and no inkling that I would find this event the least bit emotional. This was a 92 year old man who was preceded in death by his spouse, parents and three brothers. Truth be told, I was quite excited for him. As the pastor read a letter written by my Cousin Denise (Everette's daughter), I found myself tearing up uncontrollably. She told a story about her father and Uncle Tom laughing at my grandfather as he was screaming like a girl and trying to get a rat out of his overalls when they were boys. It was a sweet story and one about my grandfather I had never heard. That was when the tears began, and I had to admit to myself that this funeral made me sadder than I realized. I was not sad about death and the prospect of heaven to be sure.

I was profoundly sad that things continue to change. I was sad that the full appreciation we have from people and events seems to only come full circle via nostalgia. When recreating those times is no longer possible, we wish we had savored them more. Perhaps I was sad because with four patriarchal Webbs and their spouses now gone, I fully understand that the better Webb reunion is now in heaven.

In a time when families are getting smaller and smaller. When the distance between those families seems to be getting greater and greater. There is an undeniable bond that glues the many Webbs together in love and closeness. I am always amazed by this. In 33 years of being at reunions, weddings, church events and funerals - the Webbs never cease to amaze me with their incredible sense of family.

There seems to be one common thread that runs through each of them. Some might say its the twinkle in the signature blue eyes. Others might think it's their unmatched ability to remain lighthearted in an oftentimes dark world. I would even argue that the Webbs all have the same easy-going laugh. Ultimately, I think no one who has had the pleasure to meet these great people would argue that their commitment to the Lord and to their families remains their greatest strength.

Those traits help on days like today. Days when you are celebrating the home going of one of your own. Days when you wish you could go back for just a few hours and savor the times with those we thought would never grow old enough to leave us. Days when you can't help but to get excited as you, once again, glimpse heaven's possibilities.

As we waited to walk into my Uncle Everette's funeral in a family procession that has, in times past, out numbered the attendees, I watched a girl lean in to give her condolences to my cousin and introduce herself by saying proudly, "I'm a Webb too."

Well, I am also proud to be a part of this great family. I can hardly wait to get to heaven and ask my grandfather if he ever got the rat out of his overalls.

As I close this uncharacteristically sappy blog post, I would be remiss if I did not mention that the continuation of our Webb reunion is only possible by the grace of God and our acceptance of that great gift of eternal life. It is a spot that each of us must secure ourselves. It is a choice that is personal to make. I made the choice when I was young because I love God and I wanted to live a forgiven life. One of the many things that continues to excite me about heaven is the idea that our reunion, while dwindling in numbers on Earth...is getting larger and larger in the hereafter. I just hope the fried chicken is as good there as it is here.

Sincerely,
A proud Webb

Get this kid...



















Get this kid a ball. Sam and I had a play date with Jennifer and Emma this past week. Emma is a few months older than Sam and has now mastered the art of playing with other people. Meanwhile, Sam has mastered the art of "that's mine...yes even though it is at your house and I've never seen it before today...it's still mine." At one point, we did go outside and Sam immersed himself in the middle of a group of older boys playing ball. One of the boys was Emma's older brother Nathan. Sam was in complete awe. The boys were really sweet to let him "think" he was playing with them and he ran around the yard laughing at them and throwing his own ball. It was really quite sweet to watch.


Get this kid a birthday cake. Memorial day was Nina's birthday so we all went to my sister's house for an impromptu cookout and celebration. Sam tells knock knock
jokes. What we love about Sam's knock knock jokes is that
he feels its necessary to say "knock, knock" to each person in the room. So if the entire family is there...it could be awhile til you hear the punchline. We got my mom a blue birthday cake. Why you ask? Because I apparently forget sometimes that I have a toddler and I think a blue birthday cake is pretty rad. Yes I said rad. Samuel thought it was rad too...just look at his face. In true, never leave anyone out, form - Samuel wished everyone a happy birthday before asking where his present was.

Get this kid a haircut. But only if you've worked out and had a nap. We are regressing in the haircut tantrum category. At one point during this haircut, I looked down to see the top of my shirt pulled all the way down to my kneecaps and I meditated on the only, slightly PG-rated
expression that came to mind. "Oh to hell with it." It had happened...I'd lost the will to be modest. People told me it would happen in labor...it didn't. It happened in Pigtails and Crewcuts. Well, somehow his hair got cut, he now has finger size bruises on his neck and I knocked over the trashcan on the way out. I was also told my child wasn't the worst...just the worst of that day. Do you get a free haircut for winning that award? On the way in my mom asked me why I didn't buy the 10 haircut package. On the way out she laughed at the insanity of her earlier question. Why? Because he'd be 27 before I used them all. I get why Kate Hudson's son has a ponytail. I don't like it...but I totally get it.

Get this kid a sibling. So I have no announcement. Just an unfortunate misunderstanding that happened yesterday. So I thought it would be an excellent idea to text my mom the following sentence in response to her inquiry about the bird's nest in my backyard and whether or not the eggs had hatched. YOU HAVE TWO GRANDBIRDS NOW. This idea was, in fact, not excellent. My mom called me 21 seconds later squealing and hyperventilating.

I had know idea she was so into nature.



Great Job, Mama!

With all the "mine's", "no's" and "no way's" I encounter on a daily basis with my two year old, I sometimes forget to hone in on the good. The heart swelling moments.

Like the times, he hands me the black crayon and says, "cheer mama, draw with me." Of course, you are only allowed to use the black crayon. Any other color will result in a relapse into the world of what's mine is mine and what's yours is mine.

There are those days when he actually wants you to play with him instead of just watching him play. I think those moments are pretty special. Sometimes he even gives you his favorite car to play with.

I like when he randomly yells, "MAMA" and runs to give me a hug.

Or when he tells a knock knock joke to an entire table of your enchanted family that no one understands and then laughs at his own, indistinguishable, punchline. Or the fact that he thinks in order to tell a really good knock knock joke, you have to first say "knock, knock" to each individual person before beginning the joke.

But the best moment happened the other day. We were looking at a book and I asked Samuel how many windows were on thet bus. Then I counted them. "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8...Look Sam, there are 8 windows on that bus." My two year old, looked up at me and said, "Great job, Mama."