homeward bound

We’re finally home. Well, we’ve been home for a little over 24 hours, but I was too tired/busy last night and this morning to write anything. Even now my mind is still working away at I don’t know what, making any sort of creative thinking somewhat difficult. All that means is I need to write to get back into my routine otherwise I’ll take an extended break like last year at this time.

The trip was wonderful. We drove down to Seattle where we stayed for the first night. The next day we drove through to Idaho, and stayed there for the night. The next night we stayed in a small town in Montana, after discovering that Canada was "closed" by the time we got to the border.. despite some perceived helpful advice from a little old lady in Idaho.

Without going into too much detail, the next week was spent eating, socializing, and playing games. Now. When I say eating, I mean eating. Every meal seemed to get bigger and bigger, and I would make myself eat more and more of the deliciousness, getting to the point where I have hardly needed to consume anything for the past 2 days... the hunger still has some nutrients to work through.

The grandparents are doing so well for their age. Grandpa is in his late 80s, and grandma is just passed the 80 mark. They still do everything on their own, hold weekly dinners from their children and grandchildren (and great grand children) every Friday night, and are really healthy. The family is so blessed to have them (all what.. under them, there are 51 of us now, including wives and husbands and children and their children’s grandchildren)

Also, keep in mind that when I say socializing, I mean my mom being the central conversing force the entire time, despite the other parties involved, and me sitting listening, adding my bit of humour every now and then (when I believed there might be a momentary break which would provide me room to speak)

One day we drove out to Regina, the capitol of Saskatchewan to visit the family of my dad’s good old friend, as well as dad’s brother in law and his new wife. Everyone is doing very well… and I noticed a certain maturity in my own behaviour that wasn’t present on previous trips. I would volunteer myself to help wherever I was, prompting my grandma to later ask if I would be interested in staying and becoming her butler.. in a good way. And I appreciated everyone. I recognized how unique it is to have such an amazing extended family, and how I want to become closer to them while they’re still around.

There was more driving and visiting, and a day and a half spent in a chalet just outside of Banff, Alberta on the way home (the only place where it really felt like winter), but it’s too much to write about here… because I want to move onto another moment I’ll remember.

My grandparents’ old neighbours, who had a daughter my mom was a good friend with when she was younger, stopped by one night with their granddaughter just to say hello before we were off somewhere else. She was cute. A few years older than me, but single, very down to earth (has 8 siblings, most younger), musically talented on a number of classical instruments, and finishing up an university education. I liked the short time we all had to visit, and when later my mom commented that perhaps something could develop between us, all I could do was blush..... does that mean anything? Yes she had an attractive personality and appearance and had that depth to her that shone while she was in the room... however I can’t do anything with that. Even if for some reason there was something to be reciprocated on her end, I would not feel right pursuing anything even if prompted by my mother.

It led me to realize that there really is nothing wrong with me letting them know I need help sorting through my confusion. If they know I’m struggling with it, and haven’t absolutely made my mind and become set in my ways, whatever those ways may be, they’re still my parents and still have more experience than I. For some reason in the past I always felt like if I were to find a girl and go that direction, I would need to do it all on my own. So illogical, I was. On the trip home mom discussed how common it was for friends to set up their children, and families and entire communities would be linked. It’s such a recent, western idea to believe that children grow up and become totally independent, requiring nothing from the family that raised them. I love family. So why wouldn’t I love strengthening bonds between family and old friends?

The way I see it, and always have, is that He’s chosen to make me rely on Him a little bit more than I feel I’m prepared for.

I’ll save the rest for the next entry... it’s so good to be home :)