home

I'm home. At my folks'.
My oldest brother was in the yard playing with my sister's kids when we pulled in last night. Dad came strolling out of the house. Mom, Gina and I spilled out of the car. I headed for the kids. How could I not?
JM was in the swing being pushed (far too high, I'm sure) by Uncle Paul. She was loving it, of course. Touching leaves with your bare toes as you soar up into the tree- that's fun when you're 6. She was happy for a hug and to give a hug. She kept swinging, twisting around to look at me. I haven't seen you since... Well, I don't remember, she confessed (in her fairly deep and sober voice). I laughed. I had to. I mean- she was 18 months old when I left for Ukr the last time. But she was trying to be all grown-up about this 'My It's Been a Long Time' thing...
Miki came tumbling out of Uncle P's tent in the garden. With a hug. And a sober look up at me. You were a baby when I saw you last, I said. I guess you're 5 now (Auntie is the queen of clever comments, for sure.) Yes, she says. Madi is my twin; she's 5, too. She has a new bandanna from *Momy. It's purple- her favorite color- but apparently not the right shade. It makes her scowl a bit. But- she's stunning in it. Truly. I tied it around her head in typical Ukr village woman style and she's a knockout in that color. I don't think she believed me, though. She gave me a 'Yeah Right' look.
J-boy was in the tent, too. He roared around in embarrassed 8 year old boy fashion for awhile, charged me like a bull but stopped for a hug, too. Then caught fireflies, a frog and 'flew' the fly (rain cover) from Uncle P's tent like a kite... sort of. It involved a lot of running around and hanging on of anchor ropes... a job for 2 people, of course. Ask him a direct question and he shyly ignores it or runs away. But then he comes flying up with a treasured bit of J-boy trivia in his soft voice. He's not too big, either, for some serious pushing on the swing. Uncle P can really get them into the tree leaves. I hope that rope's strong, I said. Don't worry, he said. I've done this before and gone higher. It's not the first time. (heh. No more worries. For sure.)
Madi came zipping out of the house to whisper into her momma's ear, give Auntie a hug and then zip back in again. She'd been in the swing, too, but doesn't quite have the love of flying that her siblings do. She got swoopy feelings in her tummy and then got cold and quit. Apparently one can only convey these things to one's mother in a tiny whisper. ;) Later she came back out with a yellow sweatshirt Momy had found for her (and told her it was 'just the thing for her'- it's funny what registers and becomes Very Important Stuff in a 5 year old's mind).
Oh my- they've grown, these babies. All gangly legs and arms and bare feet, flying everywhere at the speed of light. And their voices. Much lower pitched than I'd imagined (I have, after all, had lots of skype chats with them. Maybe skype doesn't always convey everything like it is?).
My brother and his family come up tomorrow. I reckon their 2 boys will be a surprise, too.
But how sweet to be with them! And how sweet to be here for a bit. I'm going to just soak them up! Little Sweethearts!!

*Momy is my mom, the kids' grandma; it's the typical title among Amish and our family still uses it. Grandpa is 'Dawdy'.