One of the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad consequences of living and working abroad is that when someone you love is sick or needs you, it's hard to be there for them. Last year, my little sister was diagnosed with cancer. Stage IV. The phone call hit me like a sucker-punch to the gut because (1) My sister has cancer; (2) I was in Thailand, a minimum of 36-hours of travel time away and 12-hour time difference and unreliable Internet so that getting there to give her a hug was almost impossible and even offering support by phone was difficult; (3) Cancer sucks. Stage IV cancer really sucks.
So I did what pretty much everyone else does when they hear someone has cancer but they don't know what to do. I ordered stuff on Amazon, a kick-a** cancer can't beat me necklace, chemo hat, a pink shirt for breast cancer awareness. I even sent some fun Thai knick-knacks--purses and scarves and what-not. But I knew it was a pathetic gesture. I wanted to be there, help do laundry and dishes and read to her three beautiful girls, and give her a real live hug. Be there for her. But I was in Thailand, half a world away, and my heart ached.
Eventually, I was able to work it out to visit for a couple weeks in early November to help out; it was amazing to be there, to finally get that hug and do the laundry and dishes and do my nieces' hair and read to them and help however I could. My parents and other sister even worked it out to overlap for a couple days so we could spend a weekend all together. It was great.
But still, it didn't feel like enough. So now, I'm back, taking advantage of the time between posts when we are required to stay in the United States, to visit again. It is terrible to be away from My Man and my boys for so long (Darling Daughter came with me for this trip), but I don't know the next time I'll be able to visit my sister and support her, so I am grateful for this opportunity (and so grateful for My Man helping make it work out).
It's not all work either. I relish the opportunity to make memories with my nieces (the youngest of whom I barely even knew before this!), to hang out and chat with my sister and brother-in-law, and to enjoy San Antonio's miraculous winter weather. While My Man and boys are buried in several feet of snow up in Utah, we spent the day today picnicking and strolling through the botanical gardens. The 65 degree sunshine felt like a little bit of heaven.
Last Saturday, I even snuck away to take Darling Daughter to see the Alamo and explore the San Antonio Riverwalk. It was amazing to share that time with her.
And most days I take the girls on long walks or to the park while my sister is resting. Just soaking up as much Vitamin D as possible before heading to the snowy dark winter of Kyiv.
But mostly, I am just so grateful to have this time to be here for my sister.
Meanwhile, My Man and the boys are taking advantage of the snow and time with family, skiing, enjoying lots of Cafe Rio, building snow forts, and even paragliding at Point of the Mountain.
It's tough being apart for these weeks (I hate it and can't wait until we are all back together again!), but we are grateful for this time home in the good ol' U.S. of A, spending time with family and making memories to bridge the next gap until we see them all again.
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