Family Time

I am anal about being on time. I blame my mom (hi Mom!). No really, it's all her fault I start getting anxious and pushing my family when we start to run late. I remember clearly when it started. My mom has always been late, but I remember having to serve detention every day in 6th grade because even if I was ready for school, she would insist on driving me in, and would run really late EVERY DAY and thus I was detentionified. This is just one example though. Basically if we went anywhere we were ALWAYS late. And I hated it.

When I grew up it became a pet peeve of mine if people showed up REALLY late, or didnt call, or I was running late. In fact to this day even if Im 10 minutes behind for something I will call you to let you know.

When J and I got engaged, my mom showed up 4 hours late to our party. Because she would be halfway to the party and realized she forgot something so turn around. And then when she was half way there again realized she left something else and turn around, instead of leaving it. And never called to let us know what was going on. So we were left to think she was dead in a ditch and really all she was doing was driving 40 miles back and forth to get the damn knife she forgot.

When it was our wedding day I had to tell my mom that the wedding was really 2 hours earlier than it was. She showed up on time (for the real time of course, not 2 hours early).

It's always been this way. I should be used to it by now, but it always throws me for a loop. I cant figure out how an adult can continually have a pattern like this. But hey, shes my mom. And world of wonders, she found someone just...like...her. Her husband, my kids Grandpa.

2 years ago we moved away and finally, after years of insistence that they would move here so they could see their grandchildren they are finally doing it. My moms husband, R, moved down in Sept to take over my brothers house in Jacksonville ( 2 hours away) as he was being transferred to Hawaii. My mom is moving down this week. And the antics continue. I really shouldn't be surprised. Really. And yet, my mouth is agape.

When it was Ashes birthday R promised up and down he would be there to celebrate at his party especially since it would be the first birthday party for Ashe he would attend (we left MA when Ashe was 10 months old). Come party time there was no sign of R, no phone call no nothing. He knocked on our door 2.5 hours late, after the party was done. He missed the exit and kept driving.

Today, R was supposed to have flown out at 9am to Boston to pick up my mom and drive down with her in order to arrive for Christmas Eve. I just got off the phone with him (11am). He's on the road to Raleigh because he had thought his plane was leaving from Jacksonville but in reality it was Raleigh so he missed his flight. But there might be another one at 4pm he says.....

"Did you not look at the ticket to make sure you knew where it was flying out of?" I ask incredulously.

"I thought I did, but I must have been mistaken." (obviously!!!)

So now hes trying to get a flight, whining about parking tickets ("just park your car here and the boys and I will drive you in" I offered) and all I can think of is here we go again!

Family is wonderful, but sometimes they drive you batty. And if this is just the beginning, I'll be happy if Im not totally drooling and spouting gibberish in dealing with their antics come Christmas morning. I just thank my lucky stars this gene seemed to have missed me.