Family

My ex-husband, Tom, came from such a good family. My precious in-laws have long since passed away, but his sister, Cindy, lives with her family in Houston. Even though I guess we really aren't related anymore, we'll always still be family. Her daughter, Sarah, bears such a strong resemblance to her grandmother, Mary Lou Eathorne Mahler. It's sad that she doesn't remember much about her. I know that if Mary Lou were still around, they'd be best buddies. My daughter and Sarah are first cousins, and they, too, are amazingly similar in mannerisms, things they like, and sometimes just in the way they look.I love seeing all these family resemblances.

This weekend, Cindy and Sarah drove up to visit me.  We looked at old photographs, told stories, and talked about the Mahler and Eathorne families. Cindy remembered things that I didn't, and I remembered things that she didn't. We learned a lot from each other.We finished up the weekend with a photo shoot at the Dallas Arboretum. It was a chilly but beautiful spring morning, and as my camera started to click, I swear I could feel Mary Lou watching us....she would've been so proud of her daughter and granddaughter, who at age twenty-one has turned into a spirited, intelligent, good-hearted young woman.