Doing something new this morning. Linking up with the Gypsy Mama and her “Five-Minute Friday.” Rules: follow the prompt, no extreme editing, write for five minutes flat. I will be honest: this first-timer couldn’t quite do it in five minutes. I took the prompt, wrote fast, didn’t extreme edit…and it took me a tidge longer than five.
So here goes. The prompt: Connect.
{GO.}
We drive miles of road, the girls and me, past the cows and horses, past rolling pastureland, over Gumby Hill, through the curves that make my hands sweat when the rain pours and after almost half a day, pull up to my sister’s house.
And the girls’ biggest cousin here (“E”) runs to the car, bouncing as she always does in her radiant smile, and we feel so welcome. The door’s wreath holds an itty bitty chalkboard sign that says “Happy birthday” to Lala, banners hanging in colors of juice, and we’ll have strawberry cupcakes later to celebrate.
We drop our bags inside, the kids play, and my sis and I talk about the drive and the kids, how good it is to be together.
Sici holds little baby cousin, and rocks him tenderly, holds him close to her side, and we can’t believe how big he’s gotten. And that smile, oh my word, you could scrape the melted parts of me off the floor.
The kids swap cars, and they sing and animal count together. It feels so different to take a car ride with your cousins, and they smile and talk about what they want to be when they grow up. Little Lala says she’ll certainly be a dinosaur and that she might eat “L,” who wants to be a dinosaur, too. Then L, who is 3 and knows a lot about dinosaurs, says her kind isn’t a meat eater so that won’t work after all.
J and E and Lala dress in wigs and dresses and sing to “Annie,” and I hear the girls propose different pretend scenarios and then live them out. Sici and L are bosom buddies — 10 year old girl and 3 year old boy, they get each other.
The kids show us Olympic events on the play structure, swim to each other in the pool. Call out, “Watch me, Auntie! Look what I can do, Mama!”
The screaming and the clean up and the meal after meal and the dishes again, the dealing with squabbles makes us so tired — two mamas and six kids under 10 for three days — so we fall onto the couch each night exhausted, stay up too late talking and watching Olympics and wake bleary-eyed, but we get each other and fall into easy rhythm taking care of each other’s as if they’re our own. They are. We’re all connected.
We sit under the rough hewn beams of an outdoor sipping and eating space in a beautiful winery outside of town, and we all share appetizers, and my sis and I taste wine, and it feels almost too good to be true — how much they are enjoying each other, these Bananagram letters spread all over the table, and how the kids aren’t melting, so we’re getting to sit and feel the wind and look across the table at each other and place letters with Sici, who beats us handedly.
I’m listening to the words of a song right now that say,
“I belong with you,
You belong with me,
You’re my sweetheart,”
and this is exactly what it’s like.
{STOP}
Connecting through the power of stories written, spoken and lived
Welcome to Five Minute Fridays! Your writing is beautiful – felt like I was sitting there with you and your sister enjoying that glass of wine and the few moments of not being “needed” by the kids. Those moments don’t happen by accident, but only by intentionally making time for one another. Thanks for sharing your moments of connection!
Jessica, thank you so much for visiting and for your comment. And what a huge compliment that you felt like you were right there with my sis and me. You’re so right, connection is so about intention, isn’t it? Happy to have met you through FMF, and I look forward to doing it again, for sure.
Such a special time for you, your sister, & the kidos all to connect…thanks for sharing with your readers a glimpse into that crazy, beautiful time! :)
It sure was special. Thank you, Becca! :)
Such lovely words.
Thank you, Denise.
There truly is something special about being with your cousins. Connected by the strong bond of family, my cousins were and are my most trusted confidants and friends. Of course my youngest cousin is now best pals with my girls being right smack in the middle of their ages. Family is such a blessing!
Wow, Michelle. Thank you for sharing your experience of life with your cousins. I love mine dearly, but age and distance made it hard for us to connect in the same way you describe here. What a gift to call them your closest confidants and friends. That is certainly our hope for our kids. Blessed!
Really nice. It’s good sometimes to not over think the experience. This essay captures the feeling of family simply, yet beautifully. Enjoyed reading it, was almost like being there.
Thank you, Don. It is good not to over-think sometimes, isn’t it? :)
{sigh…} does life get more perfect than this? None that I can imagine. Thank you Ashley for this piece of heaven on earth…it was everything I needed this morning. xo
Thank you, Mama. A piece of heaven on earth is right. Look forward to all being together soon. Love you.
Lovely! Thanks for visiting my blog! :)
Thank you, Rose. So glad to have met you!
Loved it! Great job capturing time with cousins!
Thanks, Annie. Happy to “see” you here.
This is beautiful! For someone with sisters, this touched my heart because I know the pure joy of being with them and their kids. It’s nostalgic, and amazing, and this just captures all the good in those moments.
Thanks, Carrie. It really is pure joy. To be with one you love so much and the extensions of them…amazing gift.
These Five Minute Fridays are a great idea.. I’ve always loved all of your writing and it was great to read you “unleashed” by “perfection”.. and enjoyed reading more about your family :)
Thanks, Barb. It is good for me! I’ll try to truly write in five next time! :)
touching and very sweet