LIKE WEEDS

I am referring to the littles on the left. That is my niece Lexi and my nephew Richard (cousins) when they were about, oh... 2-3 years old, which would make it about 1990 or thereabouts. When my family gets together it's hugs hello and goodbye and my sis-in-law captured this hug on film. It's not a good rendering (the REAL photo is framed on my mom's mantel, and I snapped this with my camera phone - hence, the glare) and it looks much better in a 3/4 " phone window than on here.

Well, these two are 18 this year and are both graduating high school this month. I know it's cliché to keep saying how fast time goes by, but it's heartbreakingly true. Once I carted all five (but now there are seven) nieces and nephews in my '91 Jetta to see "The Lion King" movie at the El Capitan Theater in Hollywood - it was July 4th. We all sat in the balcony and they each had their child-size pack of popcorn, redvines, chocolate bars and cokes (only an aunt can get away with doling out so much sugar and junk food). We were waiting for the Disney stage show to begin when the house lights went dim and previews began showing. All five turned around at looked at me and said "What about the stage show?" I was so upset at the thought of disappointing them (we'd been talking about this outting for weeks!) When the previews ended, the stage show began and then the feature. I was relieved and they were happy. We bought the soundtrack after the show and played it all the way back home. Yep... seems like yesterday.