This picture is from Thanksgiving so that you can get an image of "the gang". Today was what we are coming to think of as "cousin time". Both of my sisters landed at my house today. One from Calgary, Paige, with her 6 little ones was dropped off as her husband had work to do in the city. My other sister Steph, the party animal, drove "alone" ("alone" means no husband) through the snow from Hinton with her 7 kids so that we 3 sisters could have some time together. As the years pass though it seems like we are doing it less and less for ourselves and more and more for the kids. After everyone went home, I couldn't think of an answer to my husband's favorite question. "What did you talk about?" I think this is a question that all husbands like to ask when their wives get together with their sisters. What this question really translates to is "Did you talk about ME?" To tell you the truth. We started talking about a lot of things....some topics came to a close naturally, but many were interrupted with newborn tears, diaper changes, children coming up with "knock knock" jokes, "May I have a (whatever the fridge contains)"...Conversation...It's not as easy as it used to be when there were just the 3 of us. 19 kids has a way of focusing a persons' attention elsewhere! Sometimes we don't finish a conversation, or a disagreement, or even a sentence, but for this season that's okay. If what we can do now is a day of just "being" together, that's enough. So what that as we listened to Cairo play her newly mastered fiddle tunes there was noise not just in the background but in stereo. I told her to keep playing as i pulled out the vacuum and sucked up all the crumbs from under the couch that her baby brother was finding. Her cousin was being changed on the couch, kids were going in and out with chores... and up and down the stairs with toys. I've had moments in my life of loneliness. Moments when the sound of nothing and no one rings in the ears. Just like those seasons of life worked something in me, these days of full houses and finding contentment in just "being" together are working in me to a purpose as well. We don't have to solve every political, social problem when we get together, we don't have to know every little thing. Sometimes, just having people you love close together matters more.
4 comments:
Beautiful day you must have had together. How sweet...only wish I had been there too. I hope you girls sang at least one song together amidst all the other stuff.
love,
mama
No singing but we did get a mini bow valley concert. It's going to be incredible. Cairo really has got something great talent-wise going on there and the colision with Bow Valley Fiddlers is obviously bringing out the best in what's already naturally there. Also, Sadie tried to play us several numbers on the piano,,, i put the kai-bosh on that though. ha haa!--j
Awwww, we blogged alike again today.
Jess, thank you so much for having us over. i felt very very guilty, with you in your still tender state just creating chaos in your space.
i miss you guys so much & i love love love when we can get together ~ even with the noise & unfinished conversations (& some that i intend to start & forget to...)
Thanks again for having us...
i loved just getting together and *being* too... whoever said friendship is all about sitting down and talking.. sometimes doing forges stronger bonds between people - and i just loved being in the same rooms with you and paige and all of my nephews and nieces... They are each so precious and shockingly wonderful and individual and swiftly changing - and i wish we could do it every week at least... Might have to just plan to drive up every month :) - i'm getting old and worn out! But i loved being there with you both - you are my best friends.
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