...back to reality. Good thing my life is pretty damn sweet! :) Home. Home to our mountains. Home to our lush green yard with the lilies about to bloom. Home to our lovely cottage, who welcomed us with familiar sights and smells. Home to our silly pets. We were all happy to be back.
Our trip was just what we needed. It is so exciting to be in a new place for a while. Exploring and making memories is something our family loves. Most of all, we love to see our kids with their family.
Emma reveled in the sheer number of kids she had to play with. On the very first night she begged for a sleep over - her first - which I gladly granted. Hearing her talk about it the next day had Jeff and I cracking up. "I didn't get any SLEEP!" she kept saying. We assured her that was exactly how a "sleep" over should be.
Lauren is used to the abundance and, in classic Lauren style, kept to her favorites and paced herself. She even told me I needed to have her in bed "between 8 and 9" so she wouldn't get too tired. Something I loved about her experience this time was the way she seemed to be watching her Aunts more. As they sang from their hearts in the talent show, we watched our little daughter's face and felt so happy. She is connected to those women and I think she understood that, maybe for the first time. I am different than they are in many ways - I can't think of anything better than the chance she has to see all of the things women are/can be in her beautiful Aunts.
We also watched her listen to what her Grandpa had to say about family - loving and supporting one another. I know she absorbed it and it gave her comfort.
Our kids are part of a big, loving, supportive family. They will never be alone, they will always have a point of reference when they feel like they don't belong or wonder who they are. They will see themselves in these wonderful people and know that, even though we are all different, the common thread of family means they will always be accepted and loved. The world is a pretty big place - it is easy to get lost. I imagine my kids having a few more flashlights than the average person, and I am grateful.
