FAMILY TIME

So, I am back to trying to decide where to go from here. Is there an order to follow, what is the most important thing I have to say. I have been keeping a list of things that I want to share at some point. But where does the path take us now?  

You know, I have watched a few of the reality TV shows. Let’s face it, they are train wrecks. Once you start watching you just cannot stop.  I, for one, really have to stretch my imagination to find five minutes of real life in any of those shows. Real life is boring, it is fun, it is exciting, it is happy, and it can be incredibly sad. Believe me though, there is not a dull moment when you are raising six kids. Every day is an adventure.

Everyone told me when I had our first child to treasure the time. It goes by quickly. They were right. Where has the time gone? I blinked and my babies are having babies. I can truly say that every age has been special. I have enjoyed the changes in our relationships as we have all grown. We raise them to be independent and responsible, yet it is heartbreaking when they do. “Sake” lives four and a half hours away.  Close enough to visit for a weekend, but not close enough to give her a hug when one of us has had a rough day.

“Doc” and I were talking the other morning over coffee about whether or not it is important for the kids to get out on their own. I guess we finally decided that it depends on the kid. It works for some, but not others. We did conclude that something has happened to the American family. Something as simple as family dinners have become a rarity. We are that weird family who bans phones and technology from the dinner table. We actually talk to each other and communicate and laugh. As the “Ninja” has said “Dinner and a Show”. We are not willing to give that up.  It is very precious. In fact, we are talking about copying a friend’s family and planning a family meal on a weekly basis. Our time together on this earth is relatively short and we need to use it more wisely. Talk, laugh and get to know, love and respect the individuals who make up your family. That’s my lecture for the day.