Wednesday, April 6, 2011

They're Growing...Fast.

And we can't stop it.  The oldest is now 6, the middle boy 3, and the youngest 1.  Time is flying by and because we live apart from our families and old friends, they are missing the moments.  Missing the amazing changes in our boys: the 6 year old writing little stories now about airplanes, the 3 year old singing songs from the radio (word for word) and rocking out in our car, the one year old taking those baby steps while holding onto anything that will help him stand.


I always envisioned we'd be surrounded by the ones closest to us when these things happen and yet the opposite is what's true.   My aunt, uncle and cousins haven't even met them yet and the oldest will be in first grade soon.  The husband's aunt just met the two older boys last year for the first time at ages 5 and 2.


It breaks my heart.


Life is going on in the lives of our families and old friends and I wonder from time to time if they're noticing that our children are growing.  Do they realize what milestones they are missing?  How important it is for us to seize the day when we visit with them?  These children are precious and growing and it's not stopping. They're only going to be young once.  


Living here in Boulder with its majestic mountains and bright sunshine (and excellent school system) is like a dream except that our families and old friends aren't here to share it with us.  The thorn in this rose of being here in Boulder is that we are living far away from those we hold dear.   We have facebook, and blogs and Skype and somehow it still doesn't feel like it's enough.


They're growing fast - these boys of ours - and we can't stop it.  It breaks my heart that those closest to us are not here to witness it.   But I guess we can share it - as best we can through this new modern media and phonecalls and visits, and for now that will have to do.



Just wanted to send a special shout out to Shell for creating this meme that allows me to share the deepest parts of my heart.  Thanks, Shell! 

7 comments:

  1. visiting from PYHO: we live far away from all of our family and close friends too and even with skype, facebook and visits it kind of makes me sad that they are missing the every day stuff and that it takes a day or 2 for my 2 year old to get used to his grandparents every time we see them. maybe one day we will live closer but until them we have to keep doing what we are doing.

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  2. My family is all far away and it makes me sad. They aren't getting to see all the changes- but we choose to live here.

    I'm sad that I miss my nieces and nephews growing up. My youngest nephew was born in December and I haven't even met him yet. :(

    I just tweeted this post. I think a lot of us can relate!

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  3. I can completely relate to this! My whole family lives far away from us. My husbands family is here but it is small (parents and his sister, the family is almost estranged form the aunts and uncles). I am grateful that at least my kids have one set of grandparents here, my siblings and I grew up with both sides far away. And I know we have the technology that our parents didn't and it is easier to stay in touch, but somehow it is just not the same as seeing people in person.

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  4. What a heartfelt post. I understand why that makes you sad and how conflicted you are.

    Hug those boys tight.

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  5. I feel this two fold.
    Time keeps going and I can't stop it. I want to. I want to freeze the precious moments. The baby steps, the first words, the tiny baby stages.
    Also.
    Some of my family, although close, are busy and don't take time to visit. They don't see family as their first priority. They are missing out on seeing my daughter grow.
    I can relate to your post.

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  6. Stopped by from the RDC! I loved your post! I can completely relate, we are currently 3000 miles away from all our family and friends and it breaks my heart that they can't see my son grow up; and yet all of our lives are moving on.

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  7. thank you for pouring your heart out, being apart from family is hard, my brother is in Delta CO and I live in NC with my kids. He has met my 5 yr old once and never met my 3 yr old. Its so sad.

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