My "J" hero

I just finished the dinner dishes and the kids have headed out front with D and Uncle Boss to set off the fireworks they bought earlier this evening.  Just before the final rinse of the sink, I thought back about this afternoon while we were sitting around the kitchen table playing Scategories.  I love the game, but I know it's not a favorite of D or my sister, J.  Their minds are way too strategic.  Anyway, one of the words that we had to come up with was a hero.  Some of the answers were lame in my book.  Such as Mickey and Minnie, Mouse, Dick Van Dyke and the worst one being Donald Duck. 

 I don't typically like to blog things that aren't in chronological order, but today I have to make an exception.  We are on the road.  Like, far from home on the road.  We have spent the last couple of days here in Kansas visiting my sister and her family.  We've had a good time getting here and I'll blog about that later, but for right now I have something else that I have to share before we hit the road again tomorrow.

For the last two days I've watched my cute sister with her six young boys.  Not only is she a cute and good mother, she is a strong woman.  I'm sure as young shy girls, we never would have thought that we could both live away from home and family and survive, not to mention having large families while doing so.  I see all that she does in a day for her young family and It's amazing how in just the four short years since I had S, I feel as though that was so long ago.  I feel as though I'm way over that stage of my life.  Kind of like my life is easier.  And by saying that, I know I sound naive because it never gets easier.  I just mean that it's easier in the sense that I'm not carrying around baby car seats, nursing hungry babies, or having several little kids hanging on my pant leg demanding  things.

We ran to get a slurpee this afternoon before we headed to the park.  D and the kids all raced out to the suburban and started climbing in where I wasn't too far behind them.  After arriving to the corner mart, I jumped out of the car, looked around to see where my sister was, and saw her cute boys climbing out of their new suburban one by one.  They were excited to show us where they get their cheap slurpees.  That's when I noticed my sister.  There she was getting her baby out of the car and rounding up every last little boy.  She wasn't just my shy little sister anymore.  She is now the mother of six little boys.  She is strong and independent.  She is supportive and loyal to her husband.  She is doing what she probably thought she could never do.

I've enjoyed my time with her.  We've laughed and giggled.  We've talked about being mothers, raising our children, living away from family, being independent, being landlords, growing up and other stuff.  I've gotten to know her better for which I'm grateful.   

Tomorrow morning will be hard for me when I hug my sister and tell her goodbye.  I know she's been excited for us to come out and see her.  I know she's grateful that we made the effort.  I also know what it's like to have family visit and then to see them leave and feel all alone.  I guess that's the part I'm not looking forward to.

J....I love you.  You are an amazing woman.  You do what so many or rather, MOST women could never do!  You are strong.  I'll be back.  We'll be back.  :)   And....I'll be back to watch your kids.  Plan a trip, have something to look forward to, put it on the calendar and I'll be out....because I love you!

I wish we had one more round playing Scategories together.  You would be my "J" hero.