Happy thoughts

How wonderful it is to have my sister situated so conveniently close by, here in grey old Michigan.

I remember dreaming about our future lives, and telling her, 10 years ago when she was packing up to move to California, to find a good place for us to live. It was always my dream to have all of my loved ones right down the street from me...and I have been willing to make that dream a reality, as much as I could. That's why we settled here, despite my strong desire to live somewhere else. We wanted them to know their grandparents and aunts and uncles and cousins.

I thought we would be relocating, me somewhere with my sister to follow, or the other way around...and then came Emma and so we settled here. At that time I never thought I would be lucky enough that Julie would move back to Michigan with her family in tow.

I love being part of their lives. I love that I have to occasionally monitor fights between Natalie and Nathan. It means that the novelty of each other's presence is gone, now they are growing up together and don't always want to share. I love impromptu family dinners.