It's right there, always in the back of your mind- the memory is what makes you miss them, the desire to connect with them is what pushes you to call or text or FaceTime, the anticipation is why you're always so excited to make plans. But still, you forget.
And then after months of preparing and anticipating... 10 of them come pouring into your new home country for a 2 week whirlwind adventure. And your heart nearly explodes with joy.
What I would have done to hit pause! To have a few minutes just to take it all in and cement everything in my memory. To keep them all here, for crying out loud! These are my people!!
Yes, they used to be stinky, loud brothers who often used me as a sports practice dummy, (not that that paid off with any athleticism, I'm fairly hopeless in that realm) but I must have some pretty awesome mummy-brain these days because I don't really look back and remember any angst towards them. I think of my childhood with these 4 boys as happy, fun, and really-truly- enjoyable. Now, we're all grown up.. Building families of our own and I just so desperately don't want these moments, these shared experiences, to never end.
We made a bit of a deal a while back to try and do Christmas together every 2nd year... And I am SO glad it is still working. I hope it always does!
5 Hansen's. 4 brothers. 3 sisters. 2 parents. 1 baby neice. Our crew of 15 traveled the South Island in a rented church van and our 7 seater vehicle. We went up through Kaikoura to Picton, into the Marlborough sounds, down through Hokitika and Greymouth, across to Wanaka, and Queenstown and then back up to Christchurch/Rangiora.
But like all good things.. it had to come to an end. (What a crap saying, by the way.) Slowly but surely they boarded planes, I tried not to cry, and we said our goodbyes.
My heart filled with joy just moments before, suddenly feels a bit sad, and I remember why exactly I was so excited to see them all. They're like home to me. It doesn't matter where we all wind up, how far away I live, or how many more mini-me's (of theirs, not mine!) get added to the mix- they're my family. My beautiful, funny, tall, loving, adventurous family. And that's something that will ALWAYS stir the joy right back into my sad heart.
NZ will have a place for you as long as I'm here. Until next time, you beautiful, beautiful Mullaney's.
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