Today is my son and daughter-in-law’s fifteenth anniversary. They, with their nine-year-old son, are the part of my family that moved to another state this year, and it’s the first time we haven’t been able to take them out to dinner, or send them out while we babysat our grandchild. I have thought of them all day, and all the fun we’ve had through the years together. They’ve helped us so many times, and we’ve helped them too. My husband closed a retail business several years ago, and weekend after weekend; they came to the store to help clean it out, to get it ready to close. We have kept our grandson countless days, and then weeks at a time, for just fun, and sometimes when family tragedies created the need. We have cooked for each other, joined each other’s friends’ lives, traveled together, laughed and cried together. I am so proud of them and their committed lives together, and miss them a bunch.
When my son was young, he played often with the little people toys of Fisher-Price. One of those favorite people was the little red-haired girl. Is it fate that he met and then married a red-haired girl, or did that earlier sweet connection create the later attraction? Funny how life goes, isn’t it?
Oh, I can feel how much you miss them. And how lucky you are that you are so close with them--even though they have moved far away. It's the hardest part, I think, of grown children. They have lives of their own and move on. I often envy my friends who have children and grandchildren in town that they can just bop over and see whenever they wish. They, however, often envy us because the kids can't just drop over or ask us to babysit every weekend. I guess it's hard to find that perfect balance!
ReplyDeleteGrown children friends are the best, aren't they? As hard as it is to have them away, it will be so sweet when you get together again. Very intriguing that he married his Fisher-Price girl! Can I assume he realizes the connection now, but didn't until you pointed it out?
ReplyDeleteI hope I have the closeness you have with your son when my children are grown adults. How special. You are a lucky lady.
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