family.....

the misfits....mix matched...gather together almost daily... reinventing families... i too have done this... realizing that many people in my life are as i.... without family...of blood... living in a city... alone... some still have one or both parents nearby...others children... but for some...there is no one... i am one without family close by.....my two sons...two brothers... sister and mother... all live in other towns... some just an hour away...others 8 to 12 hours away... needless to say...i rarely get to spend time with family... yesterday...however was quite contrary to my day to day life... my baby brother and his two children were in town...my sons came home to visit... to see their uncle and cousins...

growing up in a large family... it's been quite the adjustment living alone... for some they seem to have always been alone... not me...there was the craziness of six people going in six different directions...and at the end of the day...all coming together again... learning certain survival techniques... where we fit in the family dynamic... me...daddy's girl...my baby brother...mama's boy... my fathers...name sake... my older brother... of another father... and my sister... the middle child... i love all my family... however it is kip...my baby brother i share the most likeness with...that i feel the most connected too... my sons ... have this connection with him and his children as well... we spent maybe five hours together... a wonderful five hours together... chatting away...laughing...teasing one another... in a way only family can...
the day ended much to quickly... saying good bye... my brother and his children drive away...

my sons and i retreat to the front porch...leighton begins telling me...while tears build in his eyes... a sadness...a hurt in his voice...how he just got off the phone with his father...he wanted to see him...spend the night...his father responded "well that might be kind of awkward... you can come visit but i don't know about spending the night" there was nothing i could say to make it better for him...only comfort him... asking him to stay here... later that evening....after the damage was done...his father called and apologized... like he always does... i know....leighton will never ever forget what his father said... it's one of those things people just don't forget...

we all three went inside... began preparing for the nights end... talking of how wonderful it was to spend time with kip, evin and cole... and how much my sons adore the relationship between my brother and i... and how much they love their uncle... we are family together...the six of us....my brother the perfect son... me the daughter... the novelty...my sons...crazy love sons...the first of all the grandchildren... the two that started the new generation...to carry on...our heritage...followed by...eight more...

it is... a beautiful day... today....and i am most grateful...for this family of mine... it's days like yesterday... i find... great happiness...great love...and a sense of belonging...