Post from Kim Dennis

This message is from Kim Dennis-she's married to Keith (my mom's nephew) so she's our cousin and so loved by us all.  I read her post on my porch this evening and couldn't wait to post it on the blog.  I know you'll all enjoy it, cherish your own memories from it and appreciate it!  Thanks Kim-looking ahead to wonderful memories to be made!
 
Keith and I are planning to take our vacation this year at the lake house…we love it there so much and have so many wonderful memories. One of the things I like the most about our trips to Lake Murray are the visits we get from family. I don’t think most people who live close to their extended family really appreciate the convenience of seeing your family whenever you want. We have Keith’s mom and sister, but visits from others are few and far between.
When we go to the lake, we don’t expect family to drop what they are doing, everyone has busy lives and we certainly get that. But we love a visit, even if it’s a short one. I can’t think of anyone as busy as the Wilkerson family, between their jobs, their church, the girls schedule, football season, etc….they go non-stop. I really have no memory of Keith and I going to the lake without a visit from Cindy. She understood the importance of family. She always made an effort to be there for us. We would sit on the porch and watch the sunset, she would stay for an hour or two and then get to her next appointment as she invariably had something to do. We talked a lot about family, she would always give us parenting advice , she and Jacob are our parent mentors…we’ve watched them and admired them for years. She said to make sure to spend time with your kids because it goes fast…. she made me feel like it is normal for my 3 ½ yr old to still have a passie (“I’ve never seen a child start Kindergarten with one. It’ll be fine".)) Cindy had the gift of making you feel important and listening to you. Not only did she visit us in her neck of the woods, but she made the effort to come to our important days as well. She attended both of my children’s baptisms in Savannah because it was an important milestone for our family. For Chelsea’s baptism she drove down Sunday morning because she had plans for Saturday evening, but she was there. Most recently, Cindy and Karen came for Keith’s 40th b-day party. I’m so glad I have that memory now.
Keith and I have both been blessed with a loving family. My side is a lot farther away, and I get homesick for them. But my Dennis/Wilkerson/Roof family has helped to ease that pain by loving me, making fun of me (the coconut pie story), being silly with me, being there for me not as if I was an addition to the family, but as if I have always been there. Just like Keith and Tiff. I am going to miss Cindy so much. She was such a big part of making me a Dennis. Somebody better come up and sit on the porch with us this year at the lakehouse! We can talk about family, share stories and drink a cold one.