Family Ties
By Jeanne Marie
@Jeanniemaries (8237)
United States
June 20, 2016 10:16pm CST
I spent the morning with my sisters and mom today. We had a big pow wow and ironed out some issues. Nothing earth shattering and I like how we can all speak frankly and no one gets offended! It makes it easier to plan things.
My older sis took the two of them shopping, my younger sis and mom. Neither drive so we ferry them around once or twice a week taking care of errands. It's much easier for me as I'm just around the corner but my older sis drives a half hour to get here.
I opted out of having breakfast with them. My mom always buys everyone breakfast and likes to have us all together but I had my own errands to run. I'm learning we don't have to all be at everything! Tomorrow I'm taking them on other errands.
What a strange life.
17 people like this
18 responses
@Jeanniemaries (8237)
• United States
22 Jun 16
It's one of my mom's favorite things to do, take her children out to a restaurant.
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39515)
• United States
21 Jun 16
i used to haul my momma 'round 'til i fell ill 'n she'd the need to gain her confidence back 'fter she'd gone through'n illness. so glad that'cha can all speak freely 'n make those plans. folks 'round here tend to get their drawers'n a wad, lol.
2 people like this
@Jeanniemaries (8237)
• United States
22 Jun 16
Yes, you do what you need to for family.
2 people like this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
22 Jun 16
@Jeanniemaries I really should make the effort to visit my brother more.
@Jeanniemaries (8237)
• United States
22 Jun 16
I lived in the Midwest, far from all for many years. We visited back and forth about every other year pretty regularly but living around the corner has been a big adjustment for me. I'm happy that I we took the big step but it has worked out very well. Does your brother live far away now? We originally moved 2,000 miles away but then they moved to Florida about 15 years later and we were only 1,000 miles away then. Now I'm two tenths of a mile away. 5 minutes by foot.
1 person likes this
@annierose (18926)
• Philippines
21 Jun 16
My parents like us to be together in just one compound. However, we have a problem with my brother that we just let him live far from us in order to avoid more conflicts in our family. At present, my two sisters are having their house construction beside our house. That way, our mom will be happier being able to see them too as much as she wants to.
1 person likes this
@annierose (18926)
• Philippines
22 Jun 16
@Jeanniemaries Our mom becomes depress when our dad passed away last year. She also lost weight that is why we decided not to separate from mom. In fact, I even decided to go abroad to work but when my mom requested me not to go, I declined my wish to work abroad.
@Jeanniemaries (8237)
• United States
22 Jun 16
Now I would love that for my own children. And three of the four do live close by each other in Ohio, but one of mine lives in North Carolina so we all see she keeps in the loop. I'll move back to Ohio eventually once my mother no longer needs me.
1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (45002)
• Preston, England
21 Jun 16
it does sound like you have a lovely well bonded family
1 person likes this
@Jeanniemaries (8237)
• United States
22 Jun 16
That we do. Especially so after we all were online. I have one more sister in California who visits every year for a couple of weeks.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (457965)
• Switzerland
22 Jun 16
@Jeanniemaries You are right, my brother never speaks frankly, he always tries to do things his own way.
@Jeanniemaries (8237)
• United States
22 Jun 16
It is the only way to get things accomplished.
1 person likes this
@Jeanniemaries (8237)
• United States
22 Jun 16
Yes, it's never an issue when one doesn't participate in a family event for one reason or another, but usually we are all present!
1 person likes this
@Jeanniemaries (8237)
• United States
22 Jun 16
I'm grateful too. It's not always easy but it certainly cuts through a lot of misinterpretation.
@Jeanniemaries (8237)
• United States
22 Jun 16
I like to pop in and out throughout the week as I live so close but some weeks I need my space.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325653)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 Jun 16
@Jeanniemaries Christmas is always special isn't it - and a time when it's nice for families to be together.
@Jeanniemaries (8237)
• United States
22 Jun 16
Oh my! My mom loves us all to be together for everything. Now for me, I prefer to visit my children individually where I can devote all my attention to them during the visit. But we still are usually all together during Christmas and sometimes in the summer as well. I'm very happy I'm as close to my son's as I am to my daughters.
1 person likes this
@Jeanniemaries (8237)
• United States
22 Jun 16
It's just strange for me as I lived completely out of the loop a thousand miles away with my own family. Now I'm five minutes away by foot!
@paigea (35680)
• Canada
22 Jun 16
@Jeanniemaries That would be a huge change! Still, one has to have their own time sometimes.
@LindaCPearson (2241)
• United States
21 Jun 16
It's great that you get together with your relatives often and that you are also able to iron out the issues so they don't become insurmountable.
1 person likes this
@Jeanniemaries (8237)
• United States
22 Jun 16
It is a blessing, but we were always open and honest with one another growing up also.
@Jeanniemaries (8237)
• United States
22 Jun 16
Yes, that is very true. I realized they need to do some things separately as well.
1 person likes this
@Jeanniemaries (8237)
• United States
22 Jun 16
My mom doesn't get out unless we take her so she doesn't want to stay at home these days, she is so looking forward to going out, but in the days when she used to drive, yes, we stayed at home to visit.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
25 Jun 16
Yes it can sometimes seem like errands control our lives can't it!! Keep your eyes out for a good place for us to meet for lunch next winter!!
