{"id":1839,"date":"2011-05-05T09:36:38","date_gmt":"2011-05-05T13:36:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/livinglovingbreathingboys.com\/?p=1839"},"modified":"2011-05-05T18:05:46","modified_gmt":"2011-05-05T22:05:46","slug":"family-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/livinglovingbreathingboys.com\/?p=1839","title":{"rendered":"Family…"},"content":{"rendered":"

Family… there are so many quotes on this. “Family (n) people who share a common start but (<\/em>sometimes<\/span>) grow to share a common heart,” <\/em>is one of my favourites.<\/p>\n

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When I look around me, I see so many friends whose siblings are someone they meet up with on the holidays. \u00a0This is usually attached with some guilt. \u00a0Yet, being siblings isn’t a guarantee that you will be friends. \u00a0If you are one of the lucky ones that calls your sibling a friend, you are blessed.<\/p>\n

I struggle with this because I want my kids to be friends. \u00a0They don’t have to be each other’s best friend, but I want them to have that special relationship. \u00a0I appreciate all your comments of encouragement on this topic. \u00a0And… I will continue to pray that my boys will be blessed with the gift of brotherhood, as the get older.<\/p>\n

This weekend I went away to Michigan. \u00a0I hooked up with one of my besties and had that uninterrupted girl time that is just simply such a gift. \u00a0We always pick up where we left off. \u00a0The walls just come down when it is the two of us and we have the commonness of struggling through rough childhoods.<\/p>\n

Life took us down two different paths. \u00a0Her path was to have a family at a young age. \u00a0Eventually she was a single mom who through determination and grit, gave her boys everything they needed. \u00a0 She has two lovely boys that are both in university. \u00a0She is someone that I admire as she had many obstacles to over come and only had herself and God to tackle those bumps. \u00a0Yet, she always forged ahead. \u00a0Now, she has a Masters after her name and is starting to adjust to the Empty Nest phase.<\/p>\n

Over the years, we have been there for each other. \u00a0She never judged my mistakes and always listened and gave me a shoulder if I needed that.<\/p>\n

Our time together is precious. \u00a0We laugh a lot. \u00a0We know how to play. \u00a0We never worry about who is watching us. \u00a0No tears this trip… that was nice. \u00a0We are both in a good place in life. \u00a0We can both appreciate being in such a place. \u00a0We both know that isn’t to be taken forgranted \u00a0and know how to relish it.<\/p>\n

Friends are the family we choose!<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

I love that.<\/span><\/p>\n

My 3rd year of university I was invited to live with the Dean of Men and his family. \u00a0They had two munchkins, a boy, Jonathan and a little girl, Jessica. \u00a0I moved in and was to \u00a0help with kids when the parents were working etc. \u00a0What I didn’t know was how this move, that helped me financially, too, would be life changing.<\/span><\/p>\n

Dave and Ju… the mom and dad… had the kind of home that was always opened to everyone. \u00a0Sabbath lunch was a constant. \u00a0Ju cooked every Friday … lasagna, macaroni salad, green bean casserole… this was a staple. \u00a0Sometimes there would be rice with peas and curry. (YUM)! \u00a0There was an open door policy… there were always students over. \u00a0There was always laughter and you couldn’t help but feel loved.<\/span><\/p>\n

This family, whom I lived with for around 5 years, was a gift from God. \u00a0It was how God showed me His love, family and normalness. \u00a0He gave me a home away from my home, knowing \u00a0how much I would need it.<\/span><\/p>\n

At my writer’s retreat, one of the questions was, “Who is your main character in your story (me) jealous of?” <\/em> My discovery was that I was jealous of my brothers, especially Kumar, because he always, from the time he was born had me. \u00a0 I was jealous because I did not have anyone… a constant who was a parental figure…<\/span><\/p>\n

Until I met the Knight family and they made me one of their daughters. \u00a0I loved that even after I left the university, when I was not sure where to go, I could go home to their house. \u00a0It is the place that I<\/em> felt safe and taken care of. \u00a0I still feel this way.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jess… that little girl that I once babysat, towers over me, just graduated with her Masters this weekend. \u00a0I have to admit, there was a moment, \u00a0Sunday afternoon, as Dave and Ju and myself, drove around neighborhoods looking at houses for fun… that I was delighted to be there alone, without my babes, who have come to love Uncle David and Auntie Juliet as I do… I didn’t want to share. \u00a0I was so content, feeling safe, relaxed and loved.<\/span><\/p>\n

I loved having Sunday night with this family, watching a movie, like we so often used to do. \u00a0I loved that my history is and will always be connected to them. \u00a0I love that Jess and Jono are like my kid brother and sister. \u00a0I love the affection that is there between us… so natural and real.<\/span><\/p>\n

Friends are the FAMILY we choose!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

I am so grateful to the Knights for choosing me and loving me. \u00a0This is a gift I can never repay… except to pay it forward to others that come into my life.<\/span><\/p>\n

Dearest Jesus,<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Thank you for my gifts. \u00a0They are in abundance. \u00a0They are priceless. \u00a0Thank you for knowing what I need and always providing it. \u00a0Thank you for the countless friendships that have changed my world. \u00a0Thank you for the Knights. \u00a0 You know they have touched so many lives. \u00a0I know You will continue to overflow their cups.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

I love you, Jesus.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Help us to be open to those lives around us, never knowing how will can change someone’s world.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

I am so grateful, God. \u00a0You have overflowed my own cup with Your unending mercies.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Thank you.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Amen.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n


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Family… there are so many quotes on this. “Family (n) people who share a common start but (sometimes) grow to share a common heart,” is one of my favourites. When I look around me, I see so many friends whose … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/livinglovingbreathingboys.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1839"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/livinglovingbreathingboys.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/livinglovingbreathingboys.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/livinglovingbreathingboys.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/livinglovingbreathingboys.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1839"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"http:\/\/livinglovingbreathingboys.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1839\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1849,"href":"http:\/\/livinglovingbreathingboys.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1839\/revisions\/1849"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/livinglovingbreathingboys.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1839"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/livinglovingbreathingboys.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1839"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/livinglovingbreathingboys.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1839"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}