Blending Family

Well, it's Tuesday night.  The family, minus Mimi and Pappy, who are sleeping, is being noisy in the living room.  They are filling the room with bad jokes, old stories, and laughs.  Isabella is bouncing from person to person for hugs and cuddles.  Shelly is smothering pretzels in fudge.  Ryan and I are having some coffee.  Kelly and Lauren are in the hot tub.  Many boys are lounging on the couch and floor.  The buzz of this house is sweet and constant until late at night when the teenagers finally crash.  

We have found that we have people of every stage of life in this house.  The range is great and interesting.  We can all see where we have been and where we are going.  I suppose the hard part is being aware of where we are currently in life.  There is a strange comfort in knowing that every phase of life has its ups and downs.  For us, having babies means early morning and early bedtimes.  We have to constantly supervise and wonder where they are and where they are going next.  We concern ourselves with thoughts of our kids making too much noise, too much mess, too much distraction.  

My brother has a whole other set of concerns.  His kids are able to take care of themselves for the most part, but they walk that fine line of being independent and still dependent.  I can imagine that Scott and Shelly wish for their kids to feel autonomous but still need to watch over them very carefully without hovering.  

My sister has kids on the verge.  Lauren will be 18 next month.  She and Tyler are behind the wheel, given many responsibilities, but still have many self-centered sensibilities.  As I hope that they won't sneak out at night, I can only imagine the fears that Leah feels with her kids of this age.  

And my parents, I am sure they still worry about all of us.  Do we feel accomplished?  Are we happy?  Do we feel safe in our lives?  Are we happy with our choices?  I am made very much aware, when my family is together, that being  a parent is a job that never ends.  

I enjoy the blending of our little families when we are all together.  Kids seem to fluctuate between different sets of parents.  It makes me wonder what life would be like with a child of that age or this age, imagine what a family of this many or that many would be like.  I watch my girls interact with this family of mine and I am glad that they have them.  I am pleased that they will grow up knowing that there are many people who love them, many people who would protect and provide for them, many people who love them as I do.  I think of the mark that my family has made on my life and I look forward to watching their extended family nurture them as well.  

And this just makes me wonder, who are you loving?  Who are you investing in, caring for, spending your time with?  And, who loved you well?  Who made you feel special?  We only have this one life.  What are you doing with it?