So, my boys and I are back from a vacation (if you can call it that for me since I was acting as a single parent of two two year old boys!) and although it is nice to come home to my own home, part of me wishes I didn't have to. BIG *sigh*! I miss my family. Plain and simple. I love that I have a "family" here in IL now, and it is amazing to me how they have taken us into their lives and made us part of their family, but I really do miss my God-given family. It is not just being around the people that you look like, but thinking of all the things that I have missed over the years. It isn't even the big things but more like the little ones that are hardest. The impromptu get togethers for pizza on a Thursday, the "I was in the area so I thought I would stop by" hello's, the "Hey, you need a hand with that?" Saturdays. I know that when I am home those things happen more often because we are all trying to squeeze in every ounce together that we can in that short time period, but I miss it nonetheless. The hardest part for me is feeling like an outsider looking in. I remember once I was at a birthday party for my nephew which I hardly ever get to attend and a couple that are very good friends with my brother and SIL made the comment "Oh, I forgot you had a sister". Yea, not a stellar Auntie or Sister moment for me, but it was true. I cannot blame that person, and really they are nice people, he was just making an observation. Funny how little things like that can make such an impact. This incident happened probably about 4 or more years ago and I still remember it like it was yesterday. Gosh, how many things have I said that had that affect on someone???!?! If you don't know this about me, you should, I tend to open my mouth and say things without thinking and later shake my head at myself and realize how dumb I was! I definitely get this trait from my Mom. Yup, long line of case of open mouth, insert foot people here.
This brings me to a gift idea, a late one now but you could file it away for use next year at graduation time. The main reason for our pilgrimage to CT was for my nieces' high school graduations. I was 18 when they were born and now they are 18!!!! How did THAT happen? Anyway, I am the type of person that likes to put something together to give instead of just money or gift certificates so I put together a basket for them. I bought a laundry basket and I filled it with stuff for their new dorm rooms; Ramen noodles (college staple, of course!), dish detergent, laundry detergent, dryer sheets, pot holders, dish towel, scrubber sponges, measuring cup, teaspoons, mini cutting board, etc. I also included two books, Dr. Suess' "Oh the Places You'll Go" and Mitch Aplom's "The Five People You Meet in Heaven". The first book was from my little guys and I let them "draw" in both of them for the girls' and the second one was from me. If you have not read the Heaven book, please do! It isn't a long read, but it was a very thought provoking one for me. I know that they have made a TV movie out of it, but nothing is as good as the book. It just makes you think about how the littlest things in life can have such a very large impact on others around you. How different would all of our lives be if we just always strived to do our best? Of course, even when we do, somethings are out of our control.
By the way, still working on the "Living to be Miracle Worthy" from my last post. I have done a few things like pick up all the trash that had blown around the park from the over turned trash can while my boys played in the 90+ heat the other day. And, I helped a disabled man at the grocery store.......and got a religious brochure in return. Then, the next day, the doorbell rings, my boys run to the door saying "HI!!! HI!!!!" (forcing Mom to answer it now, right?) and it is a Jehovah's witness. To her credit, she wasn't the typical "pushy" type that we all think of, but I still do not like the idea of a religion that requires me to go out to so many doors to peddle my thoughts on God. Anyway, my son grabs her hand and attempts to pull her into my house to go watch "Choo Choo's" with him. Yes, do you think someone is trying to tell me to go to church? *Sigh*
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