Anita, that was the perfect thing to do! No surprises... only warm welcomes and love. That was great to hear. My mom always worries but she comes to the family functions when she's up to it. She worries most about small children being afraid of her because she saw that happen in our church years ago. Pat, sending these posts to your family is a great idea. You should not be afraid to join your family and let them share their love with you - you deserve it!