Hey Guys!
I hope you all had a wonderful Valentines Day.
I had a great Valentines Day. I am doubly blessed on Valentines Day. It is also my anniversary.
Eric and I just celebrated our 14th wedding anniversary. Eric like that number because it is 7 doubled (7 is both of our favorite number).
So Happy Be-Lated Valentines Day to all of you….
Now, I want to jabber about extended family. First some questions to you….
1. How close do you live to your parents? & in laws?
2. Do you have any siblings?
3. How often to you physically see your extened family?
4. How often do you email or phone your extened family?
Now, to answer my own questions. I live about a 12 to 16 hour drive (depending on how fast we are going and how many stops we have to make for eating and the kiddo’s) away from my parents. My parents live in Oklahoma. I live in Tennessee. My mother in law lives only about 45 mintues roughly from my mom. My father in law lives in the great state of Texas as well as my sister in law and her family. My other brother in law and his family lives in Maryland.
I have one little sister Shawna who is 8 years younger than myself.
I physically see my family once every couple to every few years.
I speak to my mom and sister at least 2 or 3 times a week.
I speak to my grandmother at least once a week.
I never speak to my dad,my dads side of the family (with the exception of a couple of cousins) and I never speak to any of my husbands family.
Now, I love Oklahoma and I love going back to visit. I have traveled ALL over Oklahoma…I love, love, love it there…But! I would never want to live there again.
My family wants us closer and to be honest. I don’t want to be any closer. I really like not having all the pressures of having to attend functions or gatherings. I would not purposely miss ANYTHING of my sister, brother in law or nieces functions. They are my world next to my own little family. However all the rest don’t really miss it at all.
Do I sound mean or rude? I mean there is a LOT of DRAMA on my dads side of the family so much so that there are ‘fights’ between my dad, uncles, and just a whole gammet of other things. I can SO live without the drama. I love my granddad, but gosh…the drama has just got to go.
I hear through my sister and other relatives what is going on and I am just SO glad that I am not caught in the middle of all the mess that is taking place which is quit sad and trivial if you ask me.
Living close to my dad’s side of the family would be like living in a actual day time soap. That would not be good for me, my husband or my kids.
Eric’s Family. I love them so much and to tell you the truth, I really don’t think they realize it but I do. Eric has a beautiful mother both inside and out. She loves her grandkids and that is SO evident.
My father in law! Gosh, that man is just too sweet for words and is so caring. He gives some of the BEST advice. And he too loves his grandchildren it is so evident. He was the first of Eric’s side of the family that I have a ‘real’ connection with. And his wife is just as sweet as they come.
I can’t really comment on Eric’s sister or brother. It has been 8 years since I have spoken to him. And it has been 8 years since I have seen him. The SAME goes for Eric’s Sister.
In Eric’s family I am the ‘baby’ adult. I am the only one without a college degree (besides Eric’s dad) and I really think they all look badly on me for that reason. Which should be the case. I choose my own business at being a mother, wife and raising my family. I am 5 years younger than Eric’s sister. I am 34, Eric’s sister is 39.
It is not that I don’t get along with them…they just don’t respond well to me.
Oh gosh, I have made this so long and I am SO very sorry for ya’ll having to read all this. I hope you didn’t feel obligated to read it at any depth….
I love my extended family….just wish they would some how respond more to me in a brighter way.
I hope you all had a wonderful day!
Extended Family…
February 16, 2008 · 4 Comments
Categories: Family · blogging · extended family · relatives
4 responses so far ↓
Greatfullivin // February 16, 2008 at 2:16 am |
I enjoyed reading it all! You my dear have the most honorable of “jobs”. Sweetie and I are just returning from a visit to Arizona to see his folks. We had a wonderful time. We live in Indiana so it has been quite a journey. We left on Feb 1 and are heading to Mississippi to visit his children as well. We try to see everyone a couple times a year.
DeeJay // February 16, 2008 at 7:20 pm |
I also enjoyed reading all of this post. You have made me feel more normal and not quite like such a mean hag. Two of my step kids and their kids live here in town. My husband’s ex lives less than 1/4 of a mile up the road. I don’t get along with her because she acts like I was wrong in marrying her ex 15 years after she left him. Even though she remarried 2 years after leaving him and the kids. She’s at ever function for the grand kids that I attend. We stay in our separate corners. My sister and parents live in Texas. My sister is 4 hours away and mom & dad are 1 1/2 hours away. I like it that way. They have to warn me before they invade. I have time to put my happy face on and mentally prepare. My father has made some very poor choices in his later years and has been living a double life. He’s too judgmental and overbearing. He’s the same as he was when I was growing up…I just didn’t see it then. The older my sister gets and the more she talks the more she seems to think like him. That bothers me. I have an 80 year old grandmother who never tried to be a real grandmother to us when we were growing up. Now she is trying to pull rank simply because there’s a commonality in our blood. She’s rude, negative and hateful most of the time. There’s no time in my life for that. My mom…love her oh so much. We are a lot alike and I feel for her living with my father. But it’s her choice to stay. She loves him and therefore I’m more civil than I usually care to be.
Now, that is mean. No?
Krysta // February 17, 2008 at 6:29 pm |
I wish my in laws would also respond to me in a brighter way also. I’m different to them. I read, cook, have a blog(what’s that?), want to travel the world, take tons of pictures and know lots of random facts. I’m like a freak at the carnival. They just think “who does all these things.” I’m the same way with my father he lives a 1/4 mile away from me and we haven’t spoken for 15 years. I wish my family lived farther away or vise/versa. Wonderful Post. Come and join 3.14 (march 14) pie day.
Lois Grebowski // February 18, 2008 at 12:35 pm |
Great questions!
1. How close do you live to your parents? & in laws? – all are deceased
2. Do you have any siblings? I have two brothers; hubby has 11 brothers and sisters
3. How often to you physically see your extended family? I just saw my extended family (only cousins are left on my side) for the first time in about 8-10 years (funeral). My nieces live in a suburb of my town. I try to see them at least once a month.
Hubby tried to see his family at least 1-2 times/year. (He lives 8 hours away from his siblings)
4. How often do you email or phone your extended family?
Just started back in contact with my cousins after a long hiatus. I try to get hubby to keep in contact with his siblings at least once/month.