We're setting off today again for our journey down to the extravaganza of the Leap Year - V Day.
It's not really at all like D Day, 1) because it's not the end of a war, more like the beginning and 2) there are not nearly as many Europeans involved, although I suppose D and I count with our dual citizenship.
It's a day that my parents invented, to make sure that at least once every four years, all of their children would actually come home. There's no guilt for Christmases missed or birthdays, even Mother's Day and Father's Day aren't pushed heavily.
But on V Day, February 29th, if you're not with my parents, well, you might as well fly yourself to the moon.
My mother, however, is not great at giving guilt, which I great for me although sometimes I feel bad for her. Isn't it her right of passage to GET to make me feel guilty? Isn't THAT what all those hours of labour was for?
And since me and my siblings actually LIKE my parents, we end up getting together much more frequently as an entire family than maybe my parents ever anticipated.
Over the years, boys have trickled into the mix and appeared in the portraits (a staple of V Day, so we can all see just how much weight we've gained since the last one).
But this year, we have 4 additions. 3 boys and a girl. Okay, well more like 2 squirming machines, a man and a dog, but you get the picture.
I think my parents might just have to buy a bigger house to take the picture in next V Day if we get any bigger.
So I'm off today, heading towards C Town, fingers crossed for minimal snow and giddy as a kid on Christmas morning to have us all together again.
Just hope the Windy City is ready for us. Oh dear.
It's not really at all like D Day, 1) because it's not the end of a war, more like the beginning and 2) there are not nearly as many Europeans involved, although I suppose D and I count with our dual citizenship.
It's a day that my parents invented, to make sure that at least once every four years, all of their children would actually come home. There's no guilt for Christmases missed or birthdays, even Mother's Day and Father's Day aren't pushed heavily.
But on V Day, February 29th, if you're not with my parents, well, you might as well fly yourself to the moon.
My mother, however, is not great at giving guilt, which I great for me although sometimes I feel bad for her. Isn't it her right of passage to GET to make me feel guilty? Isn't THAT what all those hours of labour was for?
And since me and my siblings actually LIKE my parents, we end up getting together much more frequently as an entire family than maybe my parents ever anticipated.
Over the years, boys have trickled into the mix and appeared in the portraits (a staple of V Day, so we can all see just how much weight we've gained since the last one).
But this year, we have 4 additions. 3 boys and a girl. Okay, well more like 2 squirming machines, a man and a dog, but you get the picture.
I think my parents might just have to buy a bigger house to take the picture in next V Day if we get any bigger.
So I'm off today, heading towards C Town, fingers crossed for minimal snow and giddy as a kid on Christmas morning to have us all together again.
Just hope the Windy City is ready for us. Oh dear.
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