Families that have spent any time associated with the military have a different definition of home. Military folks will only half-jokingly tell you “Home is where the military sends you.” Since my kids are third generation military brats, I guess it is only natural that they are scattered all over the United States – they come by the gypsy blood naturally. But I can’t help but be jealous of those parents that get to live close to their kids and get to watch their grandbabies grow up in person instead of via pictures sent over the internet. I can’t help but be jealous of people that don’t have to have family reunions, because they all live in the same 25 mile radius – who needs a family reunion if you have dinner together every Sunday?
My husband’s dream is to have 10 acres of land and build a family compound with houses for each of our daughters and both of our mothers, but that hasn’t happened yet. Believe me, I know how lucky I am to live in the age of internet and cell phones, which makes it pretty easy to keep in touch. But it is not the same as being there every day. Big congrats to my sister and her husband as they start on their new life: retired from the military after 20 + years and now settled in the same town as their daughter, son-in-law and grandbabies. They have finally made it home.
