They Will Be Missed

Spending the weekend with my parents makes me feel like a kid again. Being an adult with all of the work and responsibilities that go along with it kind of sucks sometimes.  When I spending the night in the home I grew up in I am their child again.  My dad is loud and annoying.  My mom is running around getting things done and planning our next meal.  They mean business when it comes to food.  Dad insists on cooking breakfast every morning and there are always snacks and sweets in the pantry.  Just being in that house makes me want to eat and by the time I leave I usually feel like a stuffed pig.

This last weekend was extra special.  Not only did my adorable nephew DJ hit the big 3 but it was also our last weekend with them.  My big sis flew back to N. Carolina on Monday where they will live for the next three years.  It's been wonderful having her nearby.  I've been able to get to know my nephew and watch him grow.  My sister has lived in Riverside and La Quinta for the last three years which is kind of far.  My  parents only live about 45 minutes away though.  My sister was there about every two weeks so my parents could get their DJ fix.  It was the perfect place for us to all get together.

I have to think of their time here as a gift so that I don't feel cheated now that they are gone.  And it really was a gift.  When she moved to North Carolina 7 years ago it seemed too good to be true that the military would bring her back to California.  I couldn't believe it.  She moved back just in time for my wedding in July 2010.  DJ was still in her belly.

I soaked up our time together.  My family can be crazy but I love them.  My dad yelled at the people who came to pick up my sister's car.  We went shopping and both spent money we shouldn't have.  My dad went out and brought home Chinese food for dinner.  We watched a movie.  My dad didn't like it so he snuck off to his room.  My mom and I stayed up late watching TV while my exhausted sister took her baby to bed.  I got to give my sweet nephew lots of kisses.  He is the cutest thing ever.  The only thing missing was little sister who lives in San Francisco.

DJ's birthday was on Sunday.  It was a totally un pinterest worthy non party family gathering but I assure you the kid didn't care one way or the other. He was just happy to be playing with the balloons. He cried the minute we started to sing Happy Birthday and didn't stop until we finished.  He did the same thing last year.  He didn't like his hat either.  He only ate the frosting off of his cake and my dad refused to eat the frosting at all.  My mom ate two pieces.  I only had one but made up for it with all the snacking on Chex Mix and Tortilla Chips.  The weather was perfect so we drank our wine in the backyard on the patio.  After having biscuits for breakfast and too many snacks the only one still hungry for dinner was mom.  Of course.  My sister hated every second but she got up and made the sloppy Joe's and steak fries like she said she would and then my mom happily ate that too.  DJ isn't really into eating all that much so he was fine with Milk in his sippy cup and the Vanilla Wafers my dad constantly puts into his little hands.

I stayed as long as I could on Sunday night.  I can't be a kid forever.  Duty calls and eventually it was time to go home.  I didn't see my sister every day that she was here but I got to see her a lot.  It was nice to know that she was close and that I could.  My nephew doesn't understand what's going on.  He doesn't know how much we will all miss that sweet little face.  I will miss them both.  Why do people you love have to move away?  My parents are already planning their visit for January.  I guess I better start thinking about planning mine too.

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I was really excited to find out that my blog post about popularity and blogging is featured on the BlogHer home page as an editor pick. You can check it out here at BlogHer.com.  My Blogher member page with all of my posts is here.