We are finally back together!
Zach and Josh arrived last night with their Grandparents. They had a great time. (Sorry for the iphone pics)
Josh called me “Ama” (what they call their Grandmother) all the way home. It was quite funny. It was cute picking them up at the airport. When Josh first saw me, he started to run. Then I think he wanted to be cool, so slowed down. Then he started to walk very quickly and finally a little bit of a run into a big hug! Zach said he would have just run all the way but was lugging a big suitcase behind him!
When they got home, they excitedly gave us our gifts: I got a cool heart key chain with pink jewels all over it from Josh (he loves to give me the most girly gifts ever – the pinker the better too! I love it!), and Rob got a glass porcupine. Zach gave me this “Swinging lovers” (pendulum/sculture thing) and gave Rob a tennis racket keychain/watch. What was very sweet was it was the first time the boys have bought Rob something too – not just me. Shows how their world is coming together. It really feels like another turning point for us all. I was also touched that my gift from Zach was two people on a swing – and he said it was me and Rob on the swing. That too was a turning point, as previously he would have said it was me and him…. For us, it does represent an acceptance of our family on a much deeper level.
However, Grief paid Zach a visit last night as she always does after he has been away for an extended period with one parent. Ironically, whenever he spends a lot of time with one parent, he comes home and cries himself to sleep missing that parent. I used to think it was weird, and maybe was a bit insulted, thinking, “You just spent a whole week with your Dad – why are you crying about him? Didn’t you miss me”??? But now I get it: Grief consistently visits him at these times: he mourns the fact that he has to go without the daily contact with that particular parent again. He can never feel the joy of always having both. It is one or the other, and that makes him sad. He does it for both of us too (which makes it easy to not take it so personally). So, he cried himself to sleep.
This morning everyone was up really early quite excited to see each other. Don’t they look cute??
Zandra’s hair is exceptionally curly as we were trying out a style for back to school that involved sock curls and paper bag curls (sock curls were way better). She looked hilarious last night (I had to warn Zach and Josh when they got home that she looked like a crazy lady!).
We all went and played tennis after a big pancake/egg/bacon breakfast. The kids loved that our traditional “Sunday” breakfast (not every Sunday though)was on a Monday! All the kids are really coming along with their tennis. We told them that we would hold an annual CDF Tennis Tournament at a hotel (weekend away) every year, so they are all way motivated to improve!
In the afternoon we unpacked bags and the kids hung out watching the US Open and Soccer (two TV’s going). I made FHE (Monday night – Family Home Evening) treat: Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese icing – a little good luck going back to school cake:)
I also made some muffins for the school week and got dinner ready too (Taco Mac and Cheese – an unhealthy treat that the kids love – perfect for the night before back to school!).
We then played Monopoly. Man, that game can go on. I had to put it on “pause”….
After dinner, we had family night – and did a nice review of all the “stuff” that makes up our every day life: our home rules, our routine and schedules; we talked about goals (their summer goals and how they did) and the start of the school year. The boys then played some hockey outside while Zandra and I did some more sock curls:)
We also got back to family reading time and started “The Diary Of Young Girl (Anne Frank)”. The kids are really excited to read it.
Now everyone is tucked in (older kids reading) and waiting for the big day tomorrow….
It’s so nice to have everyone back again. Now we feel complete.
