Not Tempting Myself Just Yet

A reader here, Tanya, has 28 children, with 18 still at home, which reminds me of another friend of mine who has 18 children. I've known her for decades and one of her birth sons is fixing to become a grandfather at age 29. Technically a step-grandpa, but in the adoption world, with blurred family lines and looser connections, this man will step up to the plate and be an awesome pappy. I've known him since he was a toddler, he's been my son-in-law, Chuck's, best friend since kindergarten, and he was here visiting this past weekend before heading out to a dangerous Army situation overseas.

He's been on my mind ever since, I know that's God's way of reminding me to pray for his safety, while I'm also reminded of Daniel's college graduation in a few months and this his unavoidable Army National Guard duty. I keep shoving that thought right out of my head.

It's been a truly delightful week so far. My niece, Lauren is here from DC with her boyfriend, Patrick who is also such a nice guy. A handsome Mexican man with seven sisters, he also has family near Atlanta and is not intimidated at all by our crowd.

Kevin, my favorite brother-in-law, and I slipped out for a movie yesterday, usually we go to Atlanta for a Braves game, but they're not in town, having acted right in Chicago this week. Up in DC, Kevin works 12 hour days, leaving little free time, and I obviously don't have a great deal of disposable hours to myself, but with Yolie's help yesterday, we got away for several hours where I totally forgot about any problems or challenges I might be facing here. I kinda needed that.

I, of course, had my Blackberry with me knowing Yolie could, and would, text me about anything I needed to handle, but I had to snicker at coincidentally receiving a forwarded email from Kevin's sister, Adele in Florida, that had come from their other sister Elaine in Texas, knowing their parents also read my blog over in SC. But odder still is the fact that my grandfather and Dee's relatives come from a small SC county where it's nearly guaranteed we're related, either through a marriage or the complicated cousin system that easily rivals the connections in large Mexican families, of which I'm a part of both, likely extending my family connections through the stratosphere.

My children seem to have called a truce this week on emotional difficulties, Kevin provided the fireworks last night, rather than the explosions and detonations we're usually known for, a welcome relief, as were the much cooler temperatures that've blown through. Sitting in the driveway late last night, I reminded Kevin, "Feels like Nags Head doesn't it?" I'd remarked, enjoying the cool air, as we used to spend hours on the wraparound porch at the beach house where the Outer Banks breezes could knock you down.

Grandma offered me her fixing-to-expre frequent flyer miles to go to New York with Kevin for the Yankees/Red Sox match-up, as I'd love to see either team lose, but my gut warns me it's not yet time to jet around, even for a quick break, as I am truly still bound too tightly at home. Jack, a totally attached kid, had tears in his eyes at the thought I'd leave for just one day and one night. Truthfully, I'd be afraid I'd keep extending it, feeling New York City is more peaceful than our raging house, so I best not tempt myself just yet.