Family Reunion

Those of you who knew us in Germany know that we did not have a family of 5--it was a family of 9! Three of those actually born during the time in Germany! For those of you who did not know us then. . .it is kind of hard to explain. We lived in 1/2 of a duplex on the Army post, and the other half of the duplex was the other half of our family! I estimate that we spent at least 75% of our time together! The husbands continuously said that they were just going to cut a hole in the wall of the laundry rooms so we wouldn't have to bother going outside! They also wondered how S. and I could spend all day together, and then come home and be on the phone for more than an hour--when we were right next door!
We literally became family. . .we had most of our meals together, we took care of each other's kids--the kids didn't even have to leave the comfort of their own beds, because we had each other's baby monitors. We'd just call and say "I need to go to the commissary. If you give me your list, I'll get your stuff and you listen for my kids." It was nice to have a very best friend right next door. I don't think our husbands realize how much it helped them. If we were angry or frustrated with them, we had a chance to talk it through with each other, and then they didn't have to hear AS MUCH of the complaints!
Anyway--the day they left Germany was almost more than I could bear. I don't do well with goodbyes anyway, and this goodbye was to someone who had become more than a sister--she was practically the other half of my brain (which was nice since I often feel like 1/2 my brain is missing!!) The children had grown up together. N. was 3 and G. was 6 months when we met. R., R., and J. had known each other all their lives. . .They truly behaved like siblings. ALL of us cried the day they left. My kids kept climbing in the MWR shuttle bus with them, and their kids kept trying to get out and stay with us! It was truly truly awful.
I think that is why it was easier for me to leave Germany than it has ever been to leave somewhere before. All our friends were gone that summer, so by Christmas when we left, it wasn't the same place.
So--this week, they came to visit us!! It was great! They got here and we immediately fell right back into the old life of one big family. S. even gave us a new name--the "McT.... family." I love that! They were here for 4 nights, and I would have loved for them to stay longer. I wish we could live next door to each other forever. Actually, with about 1000 more square feet--we could just live in one house! (Except that we both have SO MUCH polish pottery that we have to have 2 kitchens--plus lots of storage furniture for the overflow!)
Anyway--while they were here we went to the beach,

to the Wild Animal Park,

and to Sea World.

The kids were generally exhausted by the end of each day, as were we, but it sure was nice to get to hang out in the evenings and just talk. . .even though it wasn't in the front yard drinking iced tea or Lambrusco!
We have decided that we will definitely live next door to each other after retirement. G. doesn't have as long as S. does, so they will have to go to Texas ahead of us and scout the locations. We also decided that we must buy timeshares or summer houses together somewhere a bit cooler, because the only drawback to Texas is the killer heat in the summer! So...the plans are being forged--we will build the McT.... compound.
I am so thrilled that we are able to stay close, even though we are thousands of miles apart. I was afraid that we would drift apart and when we got together again it wouldn't be the same. But--it is! I guess that is the difference between friendship and family!