Saturday, July 17, 2010

Missing Two

It's been almost four weeks since Jace and Brynna left to drive across country with my parents.  They were on the road for 10 days and now they are residing in my old abode with my folks.  I miss them terribly.  Yes, I miss the huge help they are to me, but most of all I miss them and the way we laugh together.  We talk almost daily, but conversations are different over the phone than they are in real life.  Situations aren't nearly as funny when they happened five hours previously and you are trying to relive them via Bell's greatest invention.  What would have had us crying because we were laughing so hard, now conjure only a chuckle as we try to picture it in our mind's eye.

Often I try to imagine them back there in my childhood home, as I share with them what I used to like to do and the places I would go.  I wish I were back there with them to physically show them so I could see their expressions and re-live it all again.  It had been over four years since they had seen Lightening Bugs and I wonder if Brynna's eyes lit up just as bright when she saw them again.  I also wonder if they see me back there.  When they hang out with my mom and sisters, do they see me in their eyes, in their actions?  Do they notice that my dad breaks into song at the mention of phrases, just like their mom?  Do they notice the similarities in my brother and my humor?  Are they hearing stories of when their dad and I were children and does it give them any insight to who we are now?  I'm sure it doesn't.  It's only now when I listen to the stories of my own parents youth that I can make the connection that these two people in their golden years were once children.  Even in my own life, it seems almost unfathomable that it is possible that I am the little girl in the pictures in my albums.

In two more weeks Sadie and I will hop a plane to go and pick them up.  I'm counting down the days. In my head I'm running at them like a lonely husband from Wife Swap who finally realizes what he has been missing, but I'm sure Jace and Brynna will greet me with sauntering sideways hugs and a "hi, mom". I will take what I can get, as long as I get them.

8 comments:

Quiet Sky Design said...

wow. It's hard to imagine Alex ever being big enough to go away for that long. I think it's great that they are "over here" in the east. The lightning bugs have, in fact, been very abundant this summer (at least on the eastern shore). As for the greeting you'll get upon arrival: on the outside it may be a shuffling foot and a "hey mom", but I'll bet it will be a big smile and sigh of relief on the inside.... there's just no one like mom :O)

"FAITH" said...

Wow Erica, I am tearing up as I read this. Almost makes me feel guilty for having your kids here. I know you miss them, I missed my boys greatly when they went out west with mom and dad to see you guys. I am so great full that they got to have that experience and am great full of the time together and how close our kids are even though we are clear across the country. I look at them and Watch them interact with each other and I think of us as kids. I look at Brynna and I see you. However, when I look at Jace I see his father and the boy in 6th grade that was the class clown :).
To watch our kids at Mom and Dads where we use to roam and to think about our child hood and how far we've come is just amazing. All of us, Karen Buzz You and myself. How blessed we are that God has given us some of the greatest parents in the world and used them to give us and our kids such great life experiences. Love you, See you soon : )

Tonya said...

What, 6 weeks? Wow. I cannot imagine that. I feel for you! So exciting that you get to go out there to pick them up though! How long do you get to stay?

"FAITH" said...

Hey sis, After reading my comment I'm afraid that my first statement sounds a little sarcastic. I apologize, I really did tear up reading it.Still had some tears coming while posting the comment. You have such an amazing way of putting your thoughts into your blog. Anyway hope it wasn't taken wrong. Love ya.

lifebythehandful said...

Faith, No offense taken. I didn't think you were sarcastic...a little emotional maybe. :)
Tonya, Not long enough. We fly in on Thursday night and leave Monday night. It seems like enough time, but when you try to squeeze in both sides of the fam and friends, there never seems to be enough.

Anonymous said...

Don't worry Faith. I had the same reaction.

Aunt Linda

Kasie said...

aww. I feel your pain. My daughter has been away for almost 2 weeks now. Thankfully she flys home this Saturday. Hang in there. I bet they are having a blast & making awesome memories! Blessings.

Sarah said...

Oh man - 4 weeks without them? You brave woman!

Great post, by the way. Isn't that always the way? We're bursting at the seams to be back with them and they're nonchalantly saying, "hey, mama".