If I was just bright enough to take a picture tonight I would have been able to post a picture of our family, with everyone but my daughter Stephanie (back at school) and my brother Mike who was not home yet at a restaurant having dinner with Scott and Kenzie as Scotty leaves back for duty on Sunday morning.  An intelligent man would have done so, and actually probably even a not too bright guy would have too.  I clearly was not all there.

But we did have a nice time, and it signals (as this dinner always does) three things.  One, Scotty is very close to returning to the Marines.  Two, I am very close to getting use of my truck back.  And three, the dog will soon be saying to me “Where have you been?”  (His world is pretty much Scott when he is home).  And this gathering, always with a variation of these amazingly good-looking, brilliant, and genetically-gifted people (yeah, thanks dad) always takes place as someone is heading back to where they are living.

For me however, (since I delusionaly believe you should be interested is how it is about me) it reflects something I have really known my whole life……..I have a pretty great family.  As a kid I remember going to things among many other Tirmans (cousins and aunts and uncles) and being amazed at how I felt.  As time passed however my generation grew, dispersed and the gatherings were different…..not all the same ones, and I thought it to be over. What I have come to see is that growing and being away is just part of it.  It really was a process of division as this is recreated over and over.  In a way it is a lot like what we SHOULD do in planting churches….plant, grow, divide, plant new, grow, divide and repeat.  In other words, my dad was not at the table with his brothers.  His parents are now gone, as are his aunts and uncles.  He now sits at the table as the Patriacrh.  Of his five children,  two were there, my sister Anna and me.  Mike was not there this time although we thought he would make it.  Our sisters Steph and Sarah we were not expecting as they are hanging with all our other deceased relatives in heaven.

In time however I know I will sit at a table, sans dad, Mike and Anna.  Dad will be gone, I will be dad at my own table with Scott, Steph, and Ben and their children.  Mike and Anna will do the same.  You see, it is not something that ever goes away, it just recreates itself. And it is life and it is pretty cool.

When I was a kid, my Uncle Wally used to tell me I should always be proud to be a Tirman, and although I thought I understood why, I never really got it.  It took me awhile to really get it, but as I did it was exciting to move into my place within it.   You see, he was right, and I am proud.  And gatherings like this just reinforce that.

And next week my dad and I will meet for lunch or breakfast and probably fondly reminisce abut it too.  We meet now regularly as he is old and I am getting older and he is mentoring me in moseying and other old people things.  We both are AARP eligible and it’s just all part of it.  And in truth, for what it is (meaning I only wish we could bring back those I miss) I would not want it any other way.

So tonight please accept my apology for the lack of a picture from last night and enjoy an old picture I have posted before of ALL the Tirmans who will be sitting around a table with me.  Yes, he is my favorite patriarchal picture!

Goodnight my friends and God Bless.

Tommy+