eh?

Nephew: “Uncle Mark!!”

Dad/Mom/Sister: “Turn sideways.. See! He’s not fat!”

That’s what awaited my first entrance to my sister’s home. Apparently when you don’t get to see your 5yr old nephew for anymore than once every 4 yrs, he thinks you’re fat. For most, that’s payback.. for me, potentially a complement!

My parents had made it out here the day before & my arrival the night of Christmas Eve came with a house-tour by a 5 yr old(which of course included random attacks my dinosaurs) and a dinner of tamales.

Having not been ’round these parts much, there’s the mix of feeling bad for such a thing, and enthusiasm cuz it’s still fun and new. I haven’t played with play-doh for a good 10 yrs prior to today!  (did I mention my need to take a nap like he does/his Ohio State shirt!!)

All of us always wonder what life will be like for ourselves when we get out “on our own” and so when it starts to happen, you’re feelin’ the groove and know the reasons and path you took to get there. Stepping into someone else’s home, you don’t have those reasons or knowledge of the path taken; it just is. That how we all grew up, in a family that was before we were. But this entrance into my sister (and brohter in law’s) home is somethin’ else. It has a history that I know.. a familiarity of how she & I grew up.. of crock-pots and end-tables and thermos containers passed along.. and a brother-in-law who I’ve met twice.. how is that relationship supposed to work?

I’m so analytic! I’m so glad for people who aren’t. My sister’s husband was on the phone when I came in, and as soon as he got off, he yelled “Brother!” Again, a familiarity that isn’t so great, but and understanding of “I get to like you, so I better start now!”

I’m glad everyone’s together, and my dad is too. He’s just funny.. always seems so stubborn about coming out here, rather, so pressured about keeping his job and making enough income. But being out here, he’s more fun than I remember! Him with my 4mo neice, and story goes, he was actually playing mario-kart yesterday!! I heard it was a 50-59 tie back and forth..

But I’ve been tryin to talk to dad about dad for 3-4 yrs now. But whenever I’m ’round, life seems as well as it could be, and no reason to talk, cuz “he knows.. it’ll work out..”

Good thing: he liked the first season Muppets DVD I got him, and I liked the back/neck massager-pillow my sis got me. And of course my new canon sd600– smaller than my cell phone!