Thursday, January 24, 2013

Rising to the Occasion of Three?

Staring at this blank page, I wonder how to tell you the difference between a fabulous trip and a fabulous trip.  But there is a difference.

The last two trips with my daughter, we went off to Seattle and then to San Francisco.  It was girl out extravaganza   We went everywhere on foot, bus and bike.  WE exhausted each other and then exhausted each others' ideas.  Foot travel, cocktails, scenic views, heights and horses.  Just a meal difference in mood and outlook.  I can tell you that there is nothing I treasure more than the stressed out, fun loving, active, challenging cross country weekend with my daughter.

Flash forward. First trip with number one son and the daughter.  Dynamic changes. Winds shift.  Fun happens without me, then around me, but not me. Fun happens with me, with them, with the food.  But then, fun shifts and there is fun with one and not the other, and fun with the other, and not the one.

Though the energy required is the same, the effort felt is more with three.  Not just three.  Three with one male.  I can't help but think if it was three gals, we would be arm and arm down the street, moving our legs in unison, this way and that.  The swag, the sway, the together movement of female time. But the guy, oh the guy is there, even if he is the brother.

And then there is the dynamic of the MOM.  Yes, adult children do return to the children in the presence of the MOM.  Children return to competitive persons.  Mom's return to the boss.  The people who were three flying separately across a nation to be together, seem farther apart than three planes in the air.  The past, the present, the gender, the gap, the competition, the time change.

Not the most relaxing weekend across the country that I have had, but certainly one to remember.




The capitals, the space needle, the five course wine pairing dinner (oh the five course dinner), the stroll on the campus of PSU and the shopping at the used clothing store.  The brother takes the sister to the mountain, through a town named Corbett and the water falls.  The brother goes with the sister to Powell's Bookstore in Portland.  The brother follows the sister to the campus and the fresh produce music art filled student fun market and the mass transit that is everywhere.

But then there are three and there is distance and space that wasn't there before.  Burgers bring us back together. Simple burgers and fries.  So american.  Then ice cream.  Too much ice cream. And some hurt feelings and some great laughs.

And I am reminded of the joy of motherhood, the wonderful human beings that are my children and the gift that they give me of their time.  Frustration, tension, trust to be that way.  Love no matter what.

Rising to another cross country weekend.  Love it all!




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