Thanks. Our children live in Indiana and Michigan and we visit each area 6 weeks each year.
We have attended most of the Grandparents time at schools. My wife will go up sometimes for a week or so in between our vists.
Also soon of the family comes down to visit in Tn during the summer.
My husband came from a very different background than me. We met in college, at Penn State (WE ARE PENN STATE). During his senior year, job interviews, he could have chosen anywhere in the country to work. He chose D.C. because it was close to Philly. I made it clear I wasn’t moving too far from my parents (as they were pretty old, I’m the youngest and they were in their 40s when I was born). He gave up a lot of job opportunities then and even now because I wanted to be close, distance/location wise, to my family. Since my parents have died, I’m all for moving anywhere once the youngest graduates high school in 7 1/2 yrs. It’s way too expensive to live here. Plus, it’s way liberal.
When we lived in D.C, my parents would take turns staying a week here and there with us when our oldest was born. Even though it was only 2 hours away, lol. Same thing once we moved to NJ (south jersey, across the bridge from philly). It was like I was living in another country.
Maybe since I was the youngest, or the only girl, my parents were very involved in our lives, in the lives of their granddaughters. I couldn’t understand the disinterest of their paternal grandparents but then again I couldn’t understand the disinterest they had with their own kids. I chalked it up to regional, ethnic things (strong Italian/Irish family on my side).
My husband was really unfamiliar with those choosing to live in the area they grew up in, near family, etc. It’s different now that he has children, he never wants them to move out, lol.
It’s great you make it to the Grandparents days, etc. It means so much to the kids. I know my oldest brother dreads attending, lol, (he has to sit through the Mass, then the reception, bitching the whole time, but has fun with the classroom visitation, spending time with his nieces in their school). He had a heart attack last January (and two since) and my two little ones were so worried he wouldn’t be able to do Grandparents Day in February. He promised them from his hospital bed he’d be there. So much for being an old cranky man ;).
It’s cool you do a family thing down where you live, too. I know once all my kids are out on their own, I hope they all come home, wherever that may be, so we can celebrate holidays or summer vacations together.