This evening I, along with my Jen, Ani and my friend Matt went over to Jen's folks' house to get some cow manure from the farm (for our garden) and then hung out and stayed for dinner. Jen's sister Carmen and her family were all there. It is such a blast hanging out with that crew. Nothing special happens, but the neices and nephews are really fun, the adults of the family are fun too - lots of good conversation and just relaxing. There's something incredibly satisfying about just being. Even at home I don't feel the same sense of freedom because there's always something to be done or cleaned or a project I should get started on. When we're at others' places, there's just what's happenning right now. Sure there're things to be done, but none of it's a big deal, and even the big deal stuff is usually to help sombody out, not something that just needs doing. I prefer the former.
Anyway, it's great having family close by. I'm so thankful that Ani gets to have at least some grandparents nearby. I grew up with my grandparents far away and I find myself missing those relationships. Of course, ideally all the greandparents would live in this area (come on guys, the winters aren't that bad) but I think the benefit of even just one set is huge. Plus, she's got another set just over an hour away, which proves to be a daunting distance when it comes down to actually scheduling time to go there, but it's close enough that Ani gets to see them every couple weeks.
This evening I, along with my Jen, Ani and my friend Matt went over to Jen's folks' house to get some cow manure from the farm (for our garden) and then hung out and stayed for dinner. Jen's sister Carmen and her family were all there. It is such a blast hanging out with that crew. Nothing special happens, but the neices and nephews are really fun, the adults of the family are fun too - lots of good conversation and just relaxing. There's something incredibly satisfying about just being. Even at home I don't feel the same sense of freedom because there's always something to be done or cleaned or a project I should get started on. When we're at others' places, there's just what's happenning right now. Sure there're things to be done, but none of it's a big deal, and even the big deal stuff is usually to help sombody out, not something that just needs doing. I prefer the former.
Anyway, it's great having family close by. I'm so thankful that Ani gets to have at least some grandparents nearby. I grew up with my grandparents far away and I find myself missing those relationships. Of course, ideally all the greandparents would live in this area (come on guys, the winters aren't that bad) but I think the benefit of even just one set is huge. Plus, she's got another set just over an hour away, which proves to be a daunting distance when it comes down to actually scheduling time to go there, but it's close enough that Ani gets to see them every couple weeks.
that's cool, i didn't know that you're wife's family was from out there. So, at least you have some family nearby. It's got to be weird living so far away from your own parents. do you guys ever come here for the holidays?
ReplyDeleteMy parents come up here more often than we go down there, but it happens. We were there for xmas 2 years ago, and probably will be in 2007
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