For whatever reason the movie, The Family Stone, keeps coming to mind… I remember watching romance comedies and envisioning my wedding, moments like that. But, lately I’ve sort of started to shape in my mind what I want my family life to be like, what I want to see in my children later in life, the relationships, the way we will change but still keep the bonds we’ve forged over all our years together.

Ugh, I hate sappy statements like that, but I didn’t quite know how else to put it. The point is, I’ve been thinking about this because I have a kid who is graduating. He and his girlfriend have serious plans. My kids are growing up and they are going to be creating their own lives. I want home to always be a cool place to visit not an obligatory stop on a holiday expressway.

This morning, much like many other Saturdays, I came downstairs to find Julien and Scarlet whispering over coffee because the couch and chairs in the family room were strewn with girl bodies. Rowan sprawled on the couch snoring, Deirdre snuggled under a quilt and Deirdre’s best friend had the other chair curled under her couch. They sort of started coming to life one by one, casually checking text messages and joining in bits and pieces of conversations. From time to time I’d wander into the kitchen to refill my coffee cup and end up leaned over the island in the kitchen laughing at their stories.

I spent most of the morning diddling around online and different kids would wander in in and lean at the end of my desk to talk to me. From the couch Scarlet and Julien could be heard giggling and teasing one another with the occasional, “don’t stick your finger in there!!!!” squealed by Scarlet as Julien attempted to stick his finger in her ear.

I love having them here. I love hearing them and I live to hear them laugh. And I’ve almost forgotten about how shitty last week was. It was soul healing… and today there is a pause in the battles at hand and it’s a restorative break that I desperately needed.