Celebration and Reflection By Mary Wroblewski

This year is taking off at lightning speed and here we are in the very short month of February. For many, this month is merely a blink in time, but for me, our family, it is a time of celebration as well as reflection on relationships and great joy that we have all come this far together.

On the first, we celebrate our son-in-law who has been a faithful husband, father, and honorable public servant…first in his Air Force career as a fighter pilot and presently in his retirement career at a military installation. He has stood lovingly beside our daughter through all that comes with military service and the raising of three high spirited boys.

On the second we celebrate my mother who will be 95 years of age; my first relationship…whose heartbeat was the backdrop of my life. Her strong faith, guidance and unconditional love set me on my path to be the person I have become.

On the third, great celebration is for my husband who has patiently loved me for 51 years with his perfect combination of salty and sweet. He has gracefully weathered alongside me ALL the experiences of a long and loving relationship.

February seventh is all about our fifth grandson who has filled our lives with unfettered love and joy; he has a sharp mind, is a natural athlete, and a well-versed debater who is as comfortable engaging with adults as he is with his teenage peers.

The fifteenth is our daughter’s day, our first child and only girl…she taught me how to love unconditionally the moment I knew of her existence. She has continued to “school” me in ways I could never have imagined and makes me proud every day in her roles of wife, mother, and teacher.

On the twenty-fourth of February, our youngest son commands the celebration. He rounded out our family of five in so many unexpected ways…he is an attentive husband, amazing and engaged father of grandson number five and busy gas executive. A man who generally puts others before self and always celebrates the positive. He calls us most days on his way home from work with sunshine in his voice (a trick we should all learn). This one little act of cheer is so easy to do and so very rewarding for the recipient of such a call.

The twenty-seventh we celebrate my niece, my brother’s oldest daughter, who makes us all proud every day as she goes through life as a wife, mother, and special ed teacher.

So many blessings…such a short month…In this month of love and relationships join me in reflecting on ALL the relationships in your life. Whether it was what you consider a good or a bad relationship, I know that you came away from it with a lesson. I am so very grateful for these, and ALL of the blessings in my life; especially the kind, generous and beautiful people of Wayne County!