As you can probably tell from my last couple of blogs, life has been a little iffy lately. And that is putting it mildly. My ex's death has taken us on a bit of a rollercoaster ride with our emotions.
A good thing has happened in response to his death. My children have reconnected with their half-brother and sister. It is really an awesome thing to watch. If I think about it too long, it brings tears to my eyes.
Patrick is twenty-three, soon to be twenty-four and Elizabeth is seventeen. One would think they would be so involved in their own lives, and grief, that they wouldn't have time for my two, who are only six and seven. Wrong...if anything, they have made more time in their busy lives for my kids.
Over Christmas break, Patrick came and set up my new flat screen television. He hooked up the television, cables for the video games, and a blue-ray dvd player I don't really think I needed. Little did he know that he would have to endure Halle, the non-stop talking six year old who asks so many questions and talks so much you can't think straight. He took it all in stride, answered all of her questions and did fabulous at keeping pace with her. (It made me tired just listening) He then came back a couple days later for some X-Box time with Braeden. It was quite a sight. A twenty-three year old sitting on the floor playing Lego Batman with my seven year old. Braeden was beaming, of course it helped that Patrick knew the in's and outs of the game so well. After four hours, they called it a night. That was soon followed by an overnight at Patrick and Elizabeth's house. The kids came home exhausted, but said they had so much fun.
In all honesty, I expected this "quality time" to just drop off. The holidays were over and school had begun again for all of us. It didn't though. Patrick just came over this week and played Batman with Braeden and listened to all of Halle's updates from her life.(and there are so many for a six year old) It was awesome to watch them sitting on the floor, the longer they sat, the closer they scooted to Patrick. By the end, Halle was almost sitting in his lap.
Last evening was Elizabeth's birthday celebration. We all met at the Olive Garden. I was apprehensive. I expected to be completely uncomfortable. It was like that in the past. We would all attend these dinners when my ex was alive (and before our divorce), but there was always a feeling of tension. Not so last evening. It was rather enjoyable. Actually, it was more than that. It was fun!! The kids are so at ease with Patrick and Elizabeth, even their mother Mari. Their relationship is so natural. We were a family.
It saddens me that it has taken the death of my ex-husband to bring us together, but it least it has given us a much needed silver lining.
