If you know me or have been following this blog for a while, it's no secret that I like am obsessed with the show Parenthood. "Obsessed?" you ask. Yes, I'll gladly admit it. Obsessed. I watch each episode the first chance I get, and I watch that same episode again before a new episode comes on the following week. Is that weird? :)
I promise that I cry during each and every episode (at least once). My husband doesn't get it.."why would you want to watch a show that just makes you cry??!" But that's why it's so good!! Am I the only one who measures a show's "goodness" by whether it made me cry or not??
You see, I've fallen in love with the Braverman family. They're all up in each others' business. They're always talking over each other. They have overly competitive family game nights. They have ridiculous family dance parties. They have big family dinners. They all attend each kid's baseball game/graduation/play/etc. They're so close--the grandparents, the siblings, the cousins. All of them!
So I guess I'm jealous of the Braverman family.
Things didn't quite turn out the way I thought they would.
I grew up with lots of cousins (seriously, lots...30-something. I guess that's what happens when your mom is one of 9 kids...) around to play with. My mom and her sisters were close, so, naturally, our cousins were our best friends. We spent countless hours building forts, playing in the skunk cabbage, and catching crayfish.
I always thought my sister Rachel and I would be the same way. We'd both get married, live in the same town, have kids at the same time, and just spend our summers laying out in the sun while our kids (BFF's, of course) played together in the backyard. And my brother Jared? He'd marry and have kids too.
Well, guess what..life happened. I got married 5 years before Rachel. She moved 4 1/2 hours away. And Jared? Well, Jared is a free spirited hippy who works second shift. Obviously, we all don't get to hang out nearly as much as I'd like to.
Now, of course I don't blame anyone for my little "dream" not coming true. Like I said before, life happens. Jobs are scarce. You gotta do what you gotta do, right? And who knows?..maybe someday we'll all live in the same town again. And while Kellyn may not be best friends with her future cousins, she can certainly babysit them! ;)
I just want my kids to really know two of the people I love most in this world: Aunt Rachel and Uncle Jared.
I couldn't find a more recent picture than this!! Something must be done about that..
I'm going to have to check out this show. I've heard good things but I'm currently on an "Army Wives" kick. :) I have only one sibling, a brother, but we have a lot of cousins. My mom had 8 brothers and sisters. We all grew up together but we all live in different states/towns now. Sometimes I miss all of those get-together's. We all had so much fun. Thankfully I'm super close to my brother. He doesn't have kids yet, but he's very much involved with my daughter. She adores her uncle. :) I like having a big family, and having that since of community (?) with them.
ReplyDeletehaha, this cracked me up. i am a new watcher as of a couple months ago and totally LOVE it.
ReplyDeletei could've totally written this post! (though i'm always a few days behind in watching). however, judging the measure of greatness by whether i cry or not, YES! but i don't have a sister and my brother lives in tampa and is not a hippie! (as i write this, i am watching last week's episode & just got teary-eyed because drew got accepted at berkley!)
ReplyDeleteI am close with my family as well. My siblings, nephews, nieces and I see each other a few times each week. I often take for granted how BLESSED we are to have this opportunity. Family is such a blessing!
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Meredith