Bean,  Changes,  Family,  Marriage Confessions,  Moving,  Parenting,  Understanding Katie

Today Was a Great Day

After struggling through the past couple days and trying to adjust to living in Florida again, today was just the day that I needed.  Chris and I started the day by unpacking box after junk-filled box.  This, of course, led to arguments such as, “Why must you insist on saving every single promotional magnet that we are given over the course of our lifetime?” and “Was it really necessary to pack up the delivery menus from our favorite restaurants in Connecticut?  Really?”

And with those few trivial tiffs, I felt more and more at home.

Finally, we weren’t having to argue over important things like money or jobs.  Being able to just banter back and forth over the stupid stuff made me feel like another huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders.  I guess that’s what a good husband is for.  To piss you off in little ways so you don’t think about how he’s pissed you off in bigger ways.  Lucky, lucky me.

Around noon, my Dad came over.  It was just the craziest thing ever to see him pull up in our driveway and knock on our front door.  Where we live.  Within driving distance from him.  CRAZY, I tell you!

He claimed he came over to help unpack, but I know better.  He came over to pinch Bean’s cheeks and ruffle Bean’s curls.  So, Dad played with Beanie while Chris and I finished unpacking a few things.  I was in the kitchen trying to figure out how to strategically place my silverware so that the small forks don’t get mixed up with the larger forks.  I hate when that happens.

I glanced out the kitchen window to find my Dad and Bean going for a little stroll in our backyard.  I could see my Dad talking and pointing things out to Bean.  And Beanie just sat there, checking it all out, enjoying the sunshine and his Granddad.

They meandered their way around our backyard, talking and checking things out.  And then they made their way over to our patio table and sat down for a while to talk about more important things.  Like who they each picked for their March Madness brackets.

After Chris and I finished unpacking a little more, we all headed out to the downtown area of where we live now to check out where Chris will be working.  We drove around to see what was in the area and Chris took us to this country club where he had been when he came down for his job interview.  We sat on the back deck and ate BBQ pork and drank sweet tea under Spanish moss.

After lunch, we drove back to our house and said goodbye to Dad, promising to see him sometime this weekend.  Bean went right down for a long nap and Chris and I went back to unpacking.

But as I unpacked that next round of boxes, I couldn’t help but notice that I did so with a little bit lighter load on my heart and a smile on my face.  It was so great to see my Dad today, but it was even greater to see him with Bean.  Not rushed, like we usually are when my parents visited in Connecticut for only a few days at a time.  To see the two of them just relax together and hang out, as if we had all the time in the world together.

And I smiled when I realized that for the first time, we actually do have all the time in the world together.  And that just made my day.

37 Comments

  • Christina

    That is so, so nice! My parents live in VA and we are TX and so when we get together it is like you said…trying to squeeze everything in that we can. And when our time is up we look at one another like,”What did we do?! Did we do enough?!” I would love to be closer.
    How sweet to have that memory made today. Your dad sounds like a great Grandpa.

  • Ashley

    I am so happy for you! My favorite cousin (sister, really) and her husband and little boy Jack moved back to our hometown about a year ago, and it has opened up a WHOLE new world! Now, Friday’s are mine and Jack’s days to do WHATEVER we want whenever we want for however long we want and its absolutely lovely! They just added a new baby boy to the mix, and I cant wait until he grows up so history can repeat itself 🙂 This is a decision you will never regret!!

  • Meagan

    This is exactly the reason we chose to live so close to my parents. Seeing my Dad with my daughter and knowing how close they have become makes me so excited to see what’s to come in the future. Knowing that Lucy can see her Grandparents whenever she wants to is all worth it.

    Enjoy your family and good luck unpacking 🙂

  • Jayme

    How sweet are the pictures of your dad and bean?!!!! There is just some about little boys and their grandpa’s!! I am glad you guys moved back, having family close by is the best, plus free babysitters! Score 🙂

  • Jennifer in CA

    This made my evening. I’m supposed to be packing right now for my move, but I felt that reading your blog was the better way to go. 🙂

  • andrea

    great post. i’m very happy for you and your family and glad that you got to see so quickly that what you moved for is exactly what you wanted and needed. it’s sweet how enthralled kids are with their grandparents.
    my father and i don’t get along, which sadly is for the best but this post kinda made me wish that he would show some interest in his grandchildren. he’s seen my 3 year old only a handful of times and has only met my 5 month old once, he lives only half an hour away. i’m sorry, why do i share these things with you? 🙂 i know you don’t care.
    anyway, i loved this post and the pictures made me smile. thanks

  • Ella

    So glad you had a great day & things will all fall into place for you soon. Im pretty lucky too as we live in the same place as my MIL so my son gets to spend sometime with his Nanna & his other Grandma is only an hour away 🙂

  • Caroline

    This brought a tear to my eye! Am so happy for you that you’ve got to go ‘home’ while Bean is still a baby and your family can enjoy him too.
    (Ive never posted before but have been lurking and ejoying your blog for months now!!)

  • Ashley

    This is why you did it. 🙂 So glad things are starting to turn around a bit. You may miss Connecticut for a long time, but at least now you can see in front of you why you and Chris made this big decision.

    And I hope Bean’s bracket is better than mine!

  • Corinn

    Something must be wrong with me… I have been crying at ALL your posts lately! I just burst into tears when I saw the pictures of your dad and Bean! 🙂

  • Kristin

    Such a sweet post, I’m so glad everything is working out for you! Also, I do the same thing with my forks – or at least I try!

  • Marie

    Congrats on the successful move guys, and seeing Bean with your dad – well that’s what it all was about for you guys, wasn’t it. So I think that it was a very successful & wonderful move for you two. Here’s to your new life in Florida, may it be happy, healthy & sunny!

  • Katie

    Doesn’t it warm your heart to see your parents with your kids? When we moved halfway across the country 5 years ago, we were closer to both sides of the family, about 4 hours away, but then MY parents moved into our neighborhood 3 years ago! YAY! I still catch my breath when I pass their house while I’m out running or when I bump into them while shopping. I am so happy for you and your little family to be so close to your OWN families! Enjoy and have a great time!!

  • Megan

    My goodness – I’ve never before realized the desire I have to raise my kids with a large family nearby before, but you keep making it sound so ideal.

  • sandy

    you have no idea how blessed you are to have both sets of parents/grandparents still with you…much less so close by. enjoy it!

  • Megan

    Sounds like a great day. I know all to well what those rushed visits feel like. Knowing the clock is constantly ticking.

    It puts thoughts in my head of moving back closer to family…even after the decisions we have made not to live to close. Even though we love our families dearly.

    Your making me start to question things Katie!! Not good!!

    🙂

    http://reddirtandcrazy.blogspot.com/

    So glad y’all are happy!! Congrats to you!

  • Tressa

    This is just what you needed…..to remind yourself why you moved back home!
    Just the beginning of many precious memories for you, Chris and Beanie.
    I am happy for you all 😉

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