Happy, happy days! Rick's folks are here from Houston and we're so happy to see them. If you know me at all you've heard me say a million times that you couldn't get better in-laws than I have if you custom ordered them. They are fun, loving, generous, pleasant to be around and in their own Italian way pretty darn ethnic. (so fun for a generic white bread girl like me) Last night we were sitting in the living room talking and I got the biggest sense of deja vu!
When Rick and I first started dating I would spend quite a bit of time at his parent's home. If you've never been in an Italian family's home here's what goes on. The radio is going in the kitchen, the TV is on in the den and 8 people are sitting around talking, having at least 3 (and sometimes more) conversations. NEVER with the person sitting next to you! Always with someone across the room. If you could diagram the noise it would look like one of those matching exercises your kids brought home from pre-school with all the lines criss-crossing one another. I would occasionally retreat to the formal living room by myself and when Rick would realize I was gone he'd follow me and ask "Are you okay?". I'd always tell him "I'm fine, I just needed a break from the noise". Last night I didn't need a break from the noise, it was the sweetest sound I've heard in months!
One of the biggest drawbacks to expat life is the lack of extended family. I realize that we've always been unusually close to our families, living within 50 miles of both sets of parents most of our married lives, but I honestly enjoy and love my family and Rick's. We're not perfect and there are the occasional disagreements but overall I've found life without them to be the hardest part of overseas life. I'm looking forward to being home again. I'm looking forward to quick unplanned dinners with parents and having grandparents who are able to come and see choir concerts and plays. I'm happy that cousins will be around and we won't miss any more graduations, weddings or weekends at the beachhouse. I like knowing that they're nearby if I have an emergency and I like knowing that I'm nearby if they have one.
Singapore has been terrific but deep down (and not so deep), I'm an American and I'm happy to be going home!
1 comment:
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