September 27, 2022

by Dr. Plastic Picker

It was happening while I was watching K-dramas. It was happening while I was trying to shift in a more comfortable position due to some minor back aches. The last volleyball tournament I had sat down for a while, and my back has been bothering me since. I likely need to do more yoga. I know how to listen to my body and I know I’ll be okay.

This morning with some minor back aches, I’m sad. I’m sad because I’m missing my nephew and niece who are in Florida. They are military kids and their family achieved a big professional milestone that is important for them and the country. But I’m their aunt and they are my sister’s children and I just miss them.

I know it was a big day for them with lots of people throughout the country who came in to see them. There are a lot of people who love and care for them. But I wonder if they really know how much I love them? I love them so much since they were little babies. It’s different for me because I’m close with my sister, and the way we raise our children is similar. We were raised by the same mother.

We couldn’t be there and honestly I think it would have been exhausting to fly over there to see them during this very very busy time in their lives. But I’m missing them and I want to be there in the early morning soon, watching them wake up and drinking a Florida version of my matcha green tea soy latte. I want to notice what pajamas they are wearing. I want to see the busyness of their lives as my sister rushes off to drop them off and pick them off for their various activities. I want to see them have dinner and see what kind of cups they are drinking water out of. I want to be able to pick a different mug every morning when I have a different matcha green tea soy latte from my sister’s always organized kitchen.

It’s really hard on military kids, but it’s really hard on their aunt as well. I’ve missed so much of their lives because they have lived far away, and I’m a working mother too. Just letting myself be sad today because some pictures popped up on facebook. I’ll be there soon and I’ll bring their cousins, and we’ll hang out in Florida.