I figured it was about time to write again; it's been well over six months. We went on a cruise last week and it was a blast for everyone. The kids went with us and they had three close family friends their age who got to go as well. We visited my husband's family before and after the cruise. It was fun seeing his family again; it's been over 12 years since we have seen most of the family. We visited five cousins, a second cousin and two aunts and uncles. All but two members of his family have never seen our kids before. I don't think it was as big a deal to them to see our kids as it was for me. That is a long time to wait to see family that we get along with perfectly fine. Kids have a way of growing and changing so much too, and since they are my kids, I guess it's easier to see it the way I do.
The last time I saw some of these family members, they were just kids themselves. Since then, they have changed, of course. Some of them have had kids of their own, most from busted up relationships. All but one of the relatives are on at least their second marriage, some their third. One cousin is now 40 and is dating a 19-year-old after three divorces. One of his divorces just became final about 3 months ago or less. I feel badly for him and he is messed up emotionally after all he has been through. To me that doesn't make for a good basis or beginning of a new relationship with a young lady who is not even of legal drinking age. It makes me wonder what the young lady is thinking in dating a man so much older than her (what is the attraction for her?) and also, how sad it is that this cousin seems to be almost searching out ways to repeat the mistakes of his past. When I was 18, I hung out with a group of friends and there were 40-year-old men on the fringes of this group of friends. I thought those much older guys were a little disgusting and could not understand their interest in really what were young girls. One time, we were out on a boat and the much older men pushed me into the water so that my shirt would get wet and stick to me and they could see what size my breasts were. It's that kind of thinking that is just gross and not funny to me in the least, and I didn't care that the guys were trying to impress people with their boat and their cars and "stuff". I can't imagine being divorced and wanting to hang out with guys half my age and expecting people to accept that.
Back to the cruise - it was a great, relaxing vacation. Our group totaled 15, including the kids on the cruise. I am so glad my husband was able to go on the trip and actually take it easy - he deserves it! he is the hardest working person I have ever met and that I know. It's interesting how other people react to a hard working man; they seem to either agree he is or if they are jealous or something else, they slam him one way or another. Another thing I admire about my husband is how he saves and manages money and that is something other people seem to make jealous, backbiting comments about. You would think that people would be proud of someone who does a good job with things in their life but for the most part, people seem to react negatively to it instead - it's a sad disappointment. But I love my husband more every day and I'm not now, nor ever tried to, change him in any way.
Well, the cruise was fun and I'm glad we got to see family after so long. We told all of them that we don't want to wait another 12 years before seeing them again and they agreed.
S.L.M. 9.30.11 @ 1:48
