At this time each year, I take a moment to reflect upon my life. There have been a lot of changes in the past 5 years. My husband and I moved 2200 miles from NH to TX to be closer to his elderly parents. That meant moving away from mine. It has been a really difficult adjustment for me. When we moved in 2017 I made sure that I already had a trip home planned. I traveled back to NH four times during our first year here, 3 times the second year and during that second year we moved into a new house and family visited us…and then COVID hit.

The physical distance is felt daily, like an ache in my heart. I was used to being able to frequently visit my oldest daughter, son-in-law, and grandson when we lived in NH. I felt really guilty for making this move. Would they think I was abandoning them? To me, I felt like I was. The family has always been my focus in life. I like traditions, and Thanksgiving dinner all together is one of them.

Two more grandsons and flights home to help my daughter care for each new baby and now I had 3 grandsons living across the country from me. We struggled to have some semblance of visiting via ZOOM and Facetime once the pandemic reached fever pitch.

As the pandemic has begun to lift we have been able to have more frequent visits both to NH and in TX. It is really nice making memories in our new home. I like sharing new places, foods, and cultures with my grandsons.

Reflection