The Making of a Family Story

 Every family has a collection of stories, you know the ones, they are told over and over again. Usually they are remembered at family gatherings and holidays. Here’s how another one came to be.

    After planning for weeks or even months for her son’s third birthday party, the grim reality that everything could be cancelled had just hit Chelsey. My daughter’s husband Jaime had told her that he tested positive for Covid. It was Friday night, the day before the big party.

    He tested, masked up and stepped away from the visitors already at the house. Besides Chelsey and Jaime, her mom, Barb and her husband Jim were there along with Barb’s mom, Carolyn. Ann Marie and I were minutes away; we received the news when we arrived. Being vaccinated and boosted we felt safe, as long as we kept our distance from Jaime. Besides that, my new grandson Nico was there, right in front of me. This was the first time I’d seen him, how could I leave now?

    A runner was sent to the store to purchase some tests and everyone participated in a “testing party”, just to ensure that we all were safe. The fifteen-minute waiting period seemed to last forever!

    Thankfully, we all passed with flying colors. Jaime sequestered himself for the rest of the weekend.

    Saturday arrived and the BIG party had been reduced to just six adults and the two children. The boys didn’t miss the party, they were kept busy, at least Mateo was. His younger brother was content to lay on the chest or shoulder of whoever was holding him.

    Presents were divvied out and were played with. Lots of food had been prepared so the adults were happy also, no one starved. The cake was decorated with candles and we all sang to Mateo and then we feasted on it. Even though Jaime wasn’t there we were definitely thinking about him and hoping he was OK!

    Sunday was the end of the visits from the Pittsburgh side of the state. Ann Marie and I stayed until the boys were put down for the night. Before bedtime, we ate dinner and played some more and cuddled the baby as much as we could.

    Chelsey’s mother-in-law, Helen would be coming over to help out on Monday morning; we would be leaving for home. Jaime would be returning and spending his days in the basement until he was sure that he was safe before returning to the family. (He is on his last day of isolation as I write this!)

    We sadly said our good-byes and hoped that the hugs and fun we had with the boys would last until our next visit. We both missed seeing Jaime. 

    We can plan all we want but there is no guarantee as to what we will get. Dates had been set, invitations sent out to family, friends and schoolmates. Food had been bought and prepared, cakes were ordered and the house cleaned. Then, reality stopped by. It didn’t matter what had been planned, it all had to change. When it comes to the family’s health, that takes precedence.

    Chelsey handled it very well. She made calls to cancel the party, worried about her missing husband and dealt with the stress that the kids could get sick. I’d like to think that her visitors helped her during this difficult time, thank heavens we had all been there.

    There is a wonderful feeling you get when you hold a baby. He took me back to those great days when his mother was the same age. Holding Nico in my arms I felt as if I was protecting him, everything would all be OK. Playing with his older brother, Mateo, I slipped back into my own childhood, playing with trains and not worrying about the dangers we all are exposed to in our modern world. (Or the difficulties of getting back up off the floor!)

     It is fun reliving those marvelous days of innocence, the joys of imagining, having people come to see and play with you, when there are no cares and no problems. Sadly, these times pass by so quickly. That is the reason we need to memorize them, soak it all in, the smells and the feelings, remembering all the good experiences. They will be what we live on until the next visit!

    I can say, without any doubt, that this will be a birthday party we all will remember, a story that will be told over and over again. It is the newest chapter in Chelsey’s and Jaime’s family history.