This Reminds Me

My sister Judy, niece Sarah and great niece Laura are in from Houston this weekend, and we’ve had a wonderful catching-up time.  Julia met Sarah and Laura when she first came home (Sarah kept Rachel, Lois and Hannah for one week of our second trip to Russia), but hadn’t met Judy before.

Julia and Laura are close to the same size and have played ball, Legos, flashlights, chase, monsters and best of all – dogs.  Basically, they crawl around on the floor barking and panting, waiting for Hannah to come put them in their “cage” (a.k.a., a laundry basket being pulled by a belt from a Halloween costume.)

Arf-Arf!  Julia and Laura are first cousins once removed.  I didn’t spend years readin’ Faulkner fer nuttin’.  Their playtime is the closest this home with come to housing dogs, because I don’t do maintenance items that don’t call me “Mommy.”

Clockwise from left:  Hannah (10), Sarah, Rachel (15), Julia (6), Laura (2) and Lois (12).  Next year, one of them will be holding Sarah’s #2, whom I’ve recommended be named “Rebecca.”  A little awkward if it’s a boy, but hey….

They have to leave tomorrow, and I’ll just hate it.  The house will be way too quiet.  Email and phone calls are not a substitute for plopping your feet on the coffee table and slurping some Diet Coke.

Our mom never had an electric dishwasher while we were growing up.  “God gave me two dishwashers.  Their names are Judy and Becky.  Get in there.”

My mom (Wyoming) had three sisters (Arizona, Oklahoma and Nevada).  For days after a visit with one of them, she’d stare off into space while working in the kitchen.  She’d jump when the phone would ring, expecting it to be an announcement of safe arrival home.  She’d look at old pictures and sigh a lot.

Now I know why.