Family...

Where does family start and then end? With how the world is today we have so many diverse family structures it is hard to really have such boundaries. Parents who divorce, leaving children with only a idea of what should be and what is. Aunts and Uncles who bring children in from different marriages, are they now our instant cousins? Mothers who have multiple babies with different men, leaving the siblings confused when one leaves for the weekend while the others stay home with mom. Fathers who leave one family and start a new one with his new wife. Or how about after 30 years or so of marriage and a family, divorce happens and remarriage occurs creating a new family structure with grown step-brothers/sisters and new nephews and so on...

This may strike a cord with some of you and I apologize for that. But these are real events that are happening all around us. My question is how are we all coping and dividing the line between family and circumstances? I am a person who loves, cherishes, and values my family. I have had some unconventional family structures be built around me. But for the most part I have continued to "go with the flow" and except that the choices of others are just that. Not mine to judge, not mine to control, not mine to bare the burden of.

In this time I think a lot is excepted and a lot is not. Some children are ruined from their parents divorce. Some are empowered by it. My question to you is how are you teaching your children about the structure of family? What value do you put on it? Do we adapt to our culture or do we instill our own beliefs onto our children in the hopes they know what once was can be again?

Do you draw the line?

Nina.... Again

Although it has been 5 months since the passing of our dog Nina, I still morn her daily. Am I alone on this sort of thing? I just feel so sad sometimes when ever I am reminded of her absence. As the seasons start to change memories have flooded my mind.
For example: the first heavy snow fall when I was shoveling the snow, Nina would bark and try to chase every single shovel full I threw. I was just sitting there throwing the snow and missing the once annoying habit of my dog. I would look out my back window seeing the neighbor behind us shoveling hers, and also would miss Nina driving her NUTS by all the barking and jumping on the fence.
Now the snow is melting... and I found a tennis ball in the yard :( She loved (i mean loved) her tennis balls. As I threw it to my new loved friend ( my neighbors dog ) I felt this pull at my heart. I am thinking " really Jill??".
I am sure that when summer hits I am going to miss taking her to the ravine. Watching her beautiful self running and chasing after her tennis balls. Also taking her to the park and watching her play with any dog that would participate. She would actually get on the play gyms at the park with the kids and go down the slide. It was hilarious!
Sorry for the depressing post... I did say this would be my therapy for the next month!