Next week I'm heading back to New England with my middle child, now almost 18. So many things I'd like to do in the Boston area, but not enough days to do it unless I stayed for almost a month and had my whole family going with me. There are a few highlights I will have time for and I'm looking forward to all of them:
1. I get to see lots of my Scottish family! I'll be seeing cousins I haven't seen in 37 years! My grandmother who turns 92 this year. My mother I haven't seen in 10 years. My 14 year old nephew I haven't seen since he was about 4. My sister who I haven't been with in 10 years. Lots of Aunts & Uncles I haven't seen in 5 years. And tons of other cousins.
2. I get to see two very dear friends that I've stayed friends with, even across the miles and years. We tend to lose touch, but when I'm with them, it's like old times again instantly. One I've known for over a decade and we watched our children grow up at the same time. All five of them have turned into wonderful young men and women and we're both proud of them all. The other friend I met when we were about 7. We stayed best friends from second grade through most of high school. We lost touch after that through jobs, moves, different circles, etc. but after years of searching out common friends, facebook, and google searches, we found each other again about 7 years ago. We saw each other 5 years ago, but it's amazing how fast these last 5 have passed. Now we'll get to reunite, my son will get to meet her and her family, and I get to see how quickly her boys have grown.
3. My sister is getting married! After years of being together, they're finally getting married and starting their own life together in their own new home. I absolutely love my new brother-in-law, he's perfect for her, and his family loves her to death. They've been so kind to her already. I'm so happy to see it become official. I'm so glad I can be there for their special day.
4. My youngest wants to collect sand from beaches around the world. When I last visited New England 5 years ago I bought her beach-themed souvenirs from my trip for her birthday that summer. Now she wants me to bring her back a small container or baggie of sand. I don't know exactly how and when I'll find time to do that, but I will because I know it's important to her - and not something I'll have the chance to do for a while. It will give me a chance to bring my son back to the last beach where he jumped waves when he was 7, to hear the ocean waves crashing on the shore, to smell the salty air, to hear the seagulls overhead, and to feel the moisture in the wind. I miss the beach sometimes, especially that first summer-like day of the year. I grew up on the shores of Mass. & NH, but if I ever bought a beach house, it would be where the water is WARM, maybe the southern coast of Texas.
Anyway, I'm looking forward to our trip, and I hope to get great city shots of Boston and it's architecture during our flight to and our wait at the airport on our flight home. I'll try to get a picture of the Logan Tower at the airport :-)
