Sometimes snow days are great because it grants you the opportunity to stay at home with your kids, catch up on laundry or even just relax! Today however, I used my "snow day" to reflect on how lucky I am.
I have a great family! Todd, Stella and I have each other, our health and a roof over our heads. In the current economic flux Todd and I both have good stable jobs close to home. Stella is an active and vibrant 6 year old with a captive imagination! You cannot begin to even guess the things that she comes up with or the questions she asks! She
definitely keeps up on our toes.
My parents and sister are both spitting distance from me and I know they would be there in a seconds notice if we ever need anything! I can honestly say that I don't know how people live so far away from their families. I talk/text to my sister and mom at least once a day. We might not have much to talk about but we check in on each other and are just assured that all is well.
Teta &
Gido (my parents & Arabic for Grandma and Grandpa) go "ape-sh!t' if they don't see Stella and Sophie (my niece) at least every few days. I'm serious my mom goes nuts if an entire week goes by and she
doesn't see them. My sister and I
didn't have a close
relationship with our grandparents growing up. All of our grandparents lived in Egypt and we only saw them once every few years and they all died when we were both fairly young. Whats so sad is that my memories of them are so vague and distant. By the time I was 15 years old all of my grandparents had passed away. I am so jealous of the relationship that both Stella and Sophie have forged with their
grandparents because I never had that with any of my grandparents. I know that the relationship and memories that they are making with them will last a lifetime!
Call me crazy but I just
don't know how people live so far away from their families/parents/siblings. I know I am nuts and yes i know there are days that I would like nothing more than to never speak to them again (especially when they are annoying the crap out of me or around the holidays)! But I
wouldn't know what to do without them. They are such an essential part of my life that I can only imagine how lost I would be without them.
So on this cold and
frigid snow day when schools are closed and everyone is out plowing or shoveling their snow. I am warmed by the thought of how lucky I am to have such a wonderful family!
