Extended Family

One of the things that is odd - and fun - for me when I am in Tucson is the unexpected visiting. My mother lives in a family 'compound' where my brother's and sisters' houses are within shouting distance on, basically, a 6 acre lot. There are paths worn in the desert between the houses, and those paths seem to be constantly in use. Today we had visits from both sisters, 2 nephews, two nieces, 2 of my mother's great grandchildren, my oldest sister's in-laws... and not all at once. And it's only mid-afternoon. Such a flurry of activity for me, a relatively solitary person.

Childhood is fleeting - and tough in a family of 6 - but having an extended family as an adult is worth putting up with sharing a bedroom and never getting a window seat in the car.

It is making me think I didn't do things right. I have only one child. The pressure is really on the poor kid.