RAIN, RAIN, RAIN and other thoughts

Rain is in the forecast for the next 5-7 days. Just in time to help sprout all of the stuff we planted this weekend. Man sometimes things just work out great, you know? Anyway, I got to talk to Dad last night. He called me while he was taking a walk. He said he originally was going to call Colleen, but she didn't answer. So then he tried calling Elisa and got no answer there. So I guess that left me. Oh, well, I'm pretty much always home so I got to talk to him. :)

I miss seeing him more than twice a year. I guess it's like that for all of us, but I hear a lot of loneliness in his voice. Oh, how our lives change and evolve over time.

I hope everyone in the family knows that I Love them very much. I am not good at just picking up a phone and letting people know that they are important to me, but you all are. I do look forward to when we all get together, no matter how much things have changed.

I miss my relationship with Rick, remember we used to be best friends...I miss that.

I miss seeing Grandma and Grandpa any time I wanted to. I miss a lot of things we all had together growing up. It was a very incredible time. Mom and Dad did a great job providing a fantastic upbringing for all of us. I know things are quite different now, but, that's the way things work. The torch has been passed to us. It's our responsiblity to ensure that our kids have the same kind of quality upbringing that was given to us.

Even though we are not all together, we are still connected. Even though Mom and Dad are not together, the memories and years we all spent together connect us. The things they taught us still guide us in our everyday endeavors. That will never change.

We are so lucky to have been brought up by them. I know that most of the time I feel like I could never live up to the standard they set as parents. I try my best and I know that's all that can be expected. But I sincerely hope that when my children are grown, they will have the same feeling about me and Audra as I do about Mom and Dad. It's a mix of many emotions. Love, admiration, respect, and most of all a tender forgiveness.

They were not perfect, with us or with each other. But, I don't judge. I don't have that right. I am nowhere near as good as they were at this parenting job. I let too many things get in the way. Trivial things. It blows my mind that my children are nearly 8 and 12. Where has the time gone? How did they get so old so fast? How did I get so old so fast?