the inevitable is happening.
i truly am becoming old, not just in years, but all across the board.
this realization was brought on by checking out my mom's latest post. i felt a true sense of loss that i wasn't able to celebrate with my family at my grandaddy's 80th birthday party. they threw him a luau-themed party, which is an odd choice for the grandaddy i imagine i know, but which somehow fits him, maybe in a way that i've missed knowing by not growing up around him.
i've never really thought too much about the fact that i'm living my life apart from my family, except to think it's not that big of a deal. we see each other every so often, we catch up...

what if it is a big deal?!

i think i'm missing something here.

there's no easy solution -- if i move to north carolina, i'm still far far away from colorado and mexico and florida...
truth is, the corleys have just turned into a nomadic sort of clan with loose ties that haven't pulled on me too much for the most part.
recently i've been feeling the tug.

they say you appreciate your parents the older you get. turns out the ambiguous 'they' were right.
this last year i've been getting tantalizing glimpses of the value of my family.

...of my mother who i'm like in so many expressive, out-going, quick-acting ways. she's given me real nuggets of wisdom with this whole new relationship world i've entered. i'd never thought about how much insight she would have to offer on the topic of relating to my dad, her husband. it's sort of a no-brainer, but i'd never considered it.
...and of my father whose methodical lists and sensitive heart used to drive me crazy, but who i see mirrored in nick time and time again. not only am i loving nick the more i know him, but he's causing me to grow in love for my dad at the same time. a tender-hearted, caring, protective man is a rare commodity, but i can't say enough how blessed i am to have at least two of them in my life.

this is a prime example of what i'm missing. here we've got dad, uncle greg & grandaddy in a pose i don't think i ever could have imagined (well, maybe uncle greg...)


it's vaguely frustrating that the family you mature with and who matures with you ends up turning out pretty darn cool right around the same time you no longer enjoy the privilege of sharing a home with them.

i suppose i can only hope i'll raise a family that my kids will be sad to leave.