I got word from my cousin today that a family reunion is in the offing. My folks are visiting, and so are hers...ALTOGETHER! And since my mom and her dad are siblings, they contacted another sib who resides in PA and he has considered going westcoast-bound to join us as well. Extended family (relatives by affinity who are not condidered outsiders anymore following a strong bonding with them from a trip to Italy back in 2006) are coming too. So, yippy!

One person I look forward to seeing, aside from my folks, of course, is my cousin Ivy -- who I spent wonderful summers with in our childhood. She's a doctor now, happily married with two lovely and intelligent kids. It's always a joy to share moments with her and catch up where we left off. A good way to cure the sore spot of homesickness in my heart, don't you think. I wouldn't consider it homesickness per se though, but perhaps some kind of longing for the past -- more than "home" or "place" but I guess past = home, so it's the same thing.

Another one is Mitch, a family friend (my cousin-in-law's sister), who is a breast cancer survivor. The doctor discovered her condition around the same time I thought I had found a lump on my right breast, launching me into a loop of worry, anxiety and fear. Thank God mine was a false alarm, and merely scarred tissue from a previous surgery. It was benign, but nonetheless nervewracking considering my family history of breast cancer. It was enough to send me into fits of paranoia, especially since they called me back to mammogram for a retake (because of a suspicion). Mitch who is the same age as me, is considered cancer-free at this point, still in her always positive and vivacious spirit, travelling the world and still looking as hot as ever (thank God for breast implants !) It's always a joy to be around her, and have her rub off some of that positive energy to eveyrone. What an inspiration!

So there. These are some of the things I'm looking forward to.

I then ask myself...am I worth seeing too?