Family Time

Randomly one afternoon on our last visit to Indiana, Giblet asked me about my brother.  Specifically, he wondered why he wasn't visiting, too.  Was he visiting Chicago Cousin, his daughter, helping her with her new house?  Why?

He was perplexed.  We were surprised at his recall of the details.  After all, my brother appears, randomly, when he's driving from Maryland to Chicago.  He stays for an hour (the trip puts him in Indiana just around dinner/bath/bed time) then drives on to see his own kid.  

Though it's not a great quantity of time, it is obviously high quality time.

This time, Brother brought gifts.  FlapJilly got G'ma jewelry that Intrepid Cat (Brother's eldest, for those keeping track) passed down to the jewelry person in the family.  Some of it was deemed too delicate to wear right away.  It's safely stored until the proper occasion arises.

Giblet got a bright yellow dump truck.  It makes noise.  It has flashing lights.  It was right by his side on our FaceTime call this evening.  

Did my brother make silly sounds?

YES!!! was the obvious answer, followed, as we knew it would be, by a series of raspberries and toots and hoots and hollers.... just like Daddooooo did for me and then for my kids.  Apparently, Giblet touched the truck and Brother created a sound.

Basically, they spent an hour screeching at one another was Little Cuter's assessment of the situation. 

And then my brother got in his car and called me to share the love.

I made noises with Giblet, FlapJilly got some of Mommy's jewelry, and everyone looked great.  They say you two look great, too.  

 Family, far flung as it may be, still manages to stay connected.  I am so grateful that my brother does not like to fly.