June 3rd, 2009 | by Delilah Devlin |
I’m the oldest of four siblings—two girls, two boys. We’ve seen each other over the years, but we haven’t all been in the same place for a very long time. This week, we are all at my parent’s house, enjoying the pool an catching up on our lives.
One brother is here with his third wife of ten years and his daughter. He’s the brainiac of the family, a chemist and doing quite well. I’d never really known how to take his wife, but this time, we’re bonding over tattoos. She had the idea that all the women should take my mom and get tattoos together, something to remind us of our time together. My mother’s wild about the idea and she’s decided on a dragon in a place no one can miss. She’s seventy—she’s entitled. Now, I’m thinking my SIL is one of the coolest ladies on the planet.
My other brother surprised us by rolling in on a motorcycle with his ex-wife whom he’s been divorced from for about fifteen years. Today, while we were all sitting around the pool, he announced they’re remarrying and that they’ve decided on an Elvis wedding in Las Vegas later this summer. Could have blown me over, but since I always thought it was a damn shame they didn’t work out the first time, I couldn’t be happier.
My sister, well, she’s only four hours away and we see each other often, but I was bummed she wasn’t coming due to work conflicts. She called today to say she’s coming, but only for a few hours tomorrow. Now it feels complete.
We’re all older, some broader, someone’s balder, but when we talk about things from our childhood or discover we still laugh at the same things, it’s like we never lost touch. That’s the magic of family. And when all of them talk about carving up my parent’s property to build their retirement homes, I find I’m really looking forward to the day when we’re rolling our Hoverchairs to the pool.
Hay DD
You are up awfully early but its perfect time for me, its middle of the day here in Cairo. Family is something aren’t they. Yours seem to be doing overall which is a blessing. May you have many more years together
by Rasha · June 3rd, 2009 at 7:13 amAhm. I ment to say well overall. Sorry
by Rasha · June 3rd, 2009 at 7:14 amRasha!
by Delilah Devlin · June 3rd, 2009 at 8:18 amI have to be up early. Can’t miss a minute with the family.
I hope you’re taking tons of pictures. That’s usually my job when we do a get together though that hasn’t been done in YEARS. One kids and a wife ago.
Sounds like you’re having a fun time. Enjoy.
by Brandy W · June 3rd, 2009 at 9:52 amFamily are wonderful. I wish I lived close to mine. They are on the east coast… I am on the west coast. sigh. I miss them dearly. It sounds like you have a wonderful family Delilah.
Hugs,
by Lacy Danes · June 3rd, 2009 at 12:15 pmLacy.
DD,
Your mom sounds cool! A tattoo at 70! That’s just… so that! My mother would die of shame at the mere idea.
But then my mom doesn’t think that a human can write about werewolves because how can you think like a werewolf if you’re not one? (sic!)
Maybe I am… Or a space alien… Who knows… My family is strange enough.
by Masha Holl · June 3rd, 2009 at 2:22 pmDelilah,
do your parents live in AR too? My family (what little we have left) all live close by. Sometimes I think it’s too close.
I love the tatto idea. If you are close to Little Rock, you have to go to 7th Street Tattoos on 7th and Center (down by Vino’s) they are absolutely the best. I just got a new one for my grandbaby there it’s a purple Lily on my left shoulder for Lily who was born in Feb. I have a butterfly on my right shoulder that I am planing on adding to (it’s really small)
Enjoy your time with your family.
by heather Brewer · June 3rd, 2009 at 4:52 pmLOL–so glad you’re getting the chance to catch up with your family! I think that the older I get, the more I appreciate these people with whom I share this permanent connection
by Fedora · June 3rd, 2009 at 7:26 pmHow cool! This last week, we got together with both our kids and their families–our son lives in Hawaii so we don’t see him all that often, but our daughter and her crew are just an hour away. Between the two we have five grandkids, so it was a blast, but the best time all week is when our grown kids took Dad and me out for a grownups dinner! No little ones–just the six of us in a nice restaurant enjoying a delicious meal. It was amazing fun, and such a wonderful treat to spend an evening with our kids and their spouses.
by Kate Douglas · June 4th, 2009 at 1:25 am