A Family of Six in a Duplex!

Moving day was near and I looked forward to it with trepidation. Our daughter and her family had been living with us in our duplex for just over a year. I remember her call to us to ask if they could move in; we were worried about how all six of us could fit in such a small space without killing each other. Well we did it – and when moving day arrived it was difficult to see them go.

Pat and I were very happy with our empty nest. We never quite understood our friends having such a difficult time letting their children go. It seemed natural and wonderful not to worry every night where the kids were, what time they were getting home, who they were with – all those terrifying parental worries that go with teenagers and young adults.

This time though, when Joanna and Robin went they took our grandchildren with them. This was difficult because they were not at an age where we would feel relief at not worrying about them – they were at the age where we played outside with them, we read stories to them, we played Lincoln Logs and Barbie with them, we watched them dance and do gymnastics and helped them with their homework. This was going to be hard.

I knew they needed their own place and I knew we needed our own space but in my heart I also knew they need us in their lives. Things would never be the same because we learned so much over that year. They learned that we have unconditional love for them, that there is always a lap to sit on and a story to be told. We learned that you could never have enough kisses and hugs and tickles and laughter. We had such fun that year being an integral part of their lives. Who would have thought that one year could make such a difference in our lives? We were so blessed to have had that opportunity to share our home with them.

That year we learned there was nothing better than having the pitter patter of little feet running in the room and jumping into your arms for a few minutes of cuddling on Saturday morning. Of whispering to them that we wanted to kidnap them for the day for a special excursion that would take us all day long and that we would have to spend hours and hours in the car playing and reading and singing.

Here we are – several years later and yesterday was Papa’s birthday – everyone came home for Lasagna and Meatballs and Garlic Bread – YUM – but the most fun was watching Robbie and Sheala taunt their Dad shooting him with rubber bands – his eyebrows going up every time they hit the mark. Watching them patiently, collecting the rubber bands to have a large stockpile – and then BAM – as the kids covered their bodies with pillows and blankets he pelted them with the ammunition. Then – they all were on the floor kicking and wrestling and Joanna and Pat and Caroline and I were laughing so hard we could barely breath – it was a wonderful reminder of those days we all lived in the duplex together. Fun – Fun – Fun. I love family get togethers.