My Family Anomaly

Dillon's at Ali's (his friend, not my sister), Mackenzie is upstairs, Tater is downstairs, and I'm on the sofa in the middle. My parents left a couple of hours ago and apparently, spending an entire week together makes us all need to retreat unto ourselves for a recharge.

We had a really nice visit. Beth was asking me, on Thursday, what we had been doing all week, and when I finished my laundry-list of Fun and Togetherness, she just smiled at me and asked, "You really like your parents, don't you?"

I guess I always knew it, but in answering her it occurred to me that not everyone enjoys spending a week with their parents. I've heard my friends dread the arrival of parents for a visit and begin to stress out that their house isn't clean enough or their appearance isn't 'whatever' enough or that they don't parent their own children well enough. At that moment, I realized how fortunate I am to truly enjoy my parents company. I know that whatever I am, I am Enough for them. They never criticize or expect more than I can give. They come to visit not to evaluate or judge or influence my kids. They visit because they want to. I invite them because I want them here.

So as I sit here, resting my legs, weary from our week of touring, and missing my Mom and Dad, I feel Full. And Happy. And Fortunate to have been born into such a family.