Later today, my sister and I will get in the car and drive down I-95 to meet up with most of our immediate family on a South Carolina beach.

I have no business going. I'm cramming a week of work into a weekend, and I'm stressed and therefore eating potato chips about it, but, as I've written before, this is just something that I need to do, in a place I need to do it, with the most important people in my life. 

Today, in a much greater feat, Dara Torres broke the American record - for the 9th time - in the 50 meter freestyle at the Olympic trials. "The 41-year-old mother of one!" the commentator screamed, as they panned up in the crowd to show her mom and her sister, holding her Dara's daughter, jumping and clapping and screaming. Who knows if they'll all go to Beijing, but I wouldn't be surprised. Sometimes you just have to be there. 

Sure, sometimes family stuff is stressful. Sometimes life is stressful. In spite of the sugar-coating family ties can get in this culture, people do not always get along, whether it's for five minutes because of a low blood sugar mood swing, or for many years for more serious issues and infractions. Someone, maybe several someones, can annoy, can chafe, can drive one, dare I say, to drink. But other times, a lot of times, it can be good. 

Anne at Adventures in Beanland recently flew cross-country to Oregon to meet parents and siblings, nieces and nephews. 

When I see that secret smile Mackenzie is giving her Grandma, I think maybe she understands a little.

If that one moment was the only reason we made the trek to Oregon, I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Cassandra at Kloznitz flew from England to Maryland for a brief family visit that included a  farewell at sea for her grandparents. (Great pictures as well.) 

We had a fabulous picnic lunch and enjoyed the bay. My aunt and mother
read out a selection of their love letters to each other and the three
children threw their ashes to the waves in a hand- made paper container
made by my aunt. That night we had a slideshow of family photos of five
generations while listening to a CD of their favorite music that my
father had put together. I can't imagine a more perfect or fitting
ceremony for the two of them.

If they had one day left to live, Rachel and Meredith in the Gaiam Yoga Forums would make things right - or righter - with family and friends.  

Vineyard Vogue celebrated her grandparents' 50th wedding anniversary this weekend with the rest of her family. 

This week, a young classmate of mine laughed at me because at my age, I was still considering whether or not my father would be available to drop me off at the airport when I go to Denver in August. I felt silly for a minute, and then I told her that when he needs a ride, I give him one too. I'm available - unless I'm not. And unless it's one of those days where I kind of wish everyone would go away and leave me alone, actually even then, I'm glad these people I mutually love and transport and tolerate are there. 

Laurie White writes at LaurieWrites.