How I Missed Quality Time With The Children

A fairly young man around the age of 23-24 years old, most of his younger years were spent with his sibling and brother Alex; the two often played outdoors and wandered away from home when they were not attending school, although the two of them weren't exactly the best /at/ attending school, Aerin Being the worst. Aerin was the youngest of the two with Alex being a near three years older and much larger in size, the two always held a close bond and spent more time together than with their friends from school, they lived alone in a quaint little coastal house along the shores of Maine, Alex worked as a frycook at a little cafe along the major highway whilst Aerin was the dishwasher for the same cafe, the two kept things professional at work

We left Garberville, CA at 5 a.m. We knew it would be a long haul ahead of us. I slept on the floorboard of the back seat of Holly’s truck for the first couple of hours. Holly was a funny outgoing and straight to the point person. Along with us were my Mom and Dad, Dylan(Holly’s husband) and there two kids Ashley and Clayton. Dylan was a tall red head that is always the life of the party. Ashley was a short dirty blonde girl that loves her horses. And Clayton, clayton was just like his dad a big built red hair with blue eyes and super outgoing. Finally were my parents. My Mom and Dad we both very active outgoing people who got along great with Dylan and Holly and their kids so we knew it was going to be a fun week in Winnemucca. We

About a two years past, I had lost my job, and was in the process of moving out of my former place of residence. My plan was to split my parent’s garage in half, and build a room for me to stay while I got back up on my feet. Though until the room was built, I was to lay my head on the living room couch. Words cannot describe how uncomfortable that wretched sofa was. So I usually spent most nights, and waning hours of the mornings, outside in the driveway with my brother in law, Tony. We would usually drink and reminisce about simpler times, share stories of our uneventful days, and pass out as the sun was rising. Every night blended into the next. It was like living the same day for three weeks.

Since the children were born, I have been their primary caregiver, I have been responsible for preparing their meal, getting them dressed, keep them safe and make sure everyone in my family receive necessary medical care. I have been working full time and have been the sole financial provider for the family rent, my children’s education cost, my family medical insurance, including my husband, my son’s music lesson, and my baby’s daycare. I have been in the emergency room for both my daughter and my son’s appendicitis surgery. I make all my family’s medical appointment, including my husband. I follow up with my children’s performance at school. I attend school- parent meeting. I have been always available for my children when they need me. I am with them when they are sick. My children are all closely bonded to me.

Our alarm clocks buzzed to life early that morning, prompting us to slog our way to the airport. We departed out of Raleigh, had a layover in Denver, then flew to Palm Springs. Everything seemed to be going to plan. We met up with my Grandma from my dad’s side of the family at the airport, then picked up our rental car and drove to our VRBO rental house which

I woke up Saturday morning with the warm sun peeking through the blinds. I checked my phone and saw that Ariana had messaged me saying that Nancy (her mum) had made omelettes. I got quickly out of bed and wandered into the kitchen and sat down at the table. I looked to the left of me and Ariana was sitting on her phone half asleep. We got half of the way through breakfast when Jamie finally came upstairs. We finished breakfast and then decided to go tubing on the lake. Nancy thought it would be a nice way to spend the day.

My wife and I were running around like chickens with their heads cut off the morning of September 12, 2015. This day changed our lives forever as we tied the knot and become one in the eyes of God. As I look back now, I laugh in cheerfulness at that crazy, but memorable day. Some memories attach themselves to you for a lifetime like a catchy song that tags along for a day.

I walk downstairs to the dining set with the perfect lighting and background, with the table pushed to the wall to make sure it was out of the picture frame. I wore my orange Tommy Hilfiger T-shirt with khaki shorts. My sister made her way down the stairs and stood next to me as we put our hands around each-other’s shoulders and smiled for our first day pictures. I made my delicious first-day breakfast, consisting of some savoury Italian sausage and scrambled eggs. After devouring the flavorous meal, I ventured out to the driveway where we got in my sisters white Mazda. I was feeling like a gazelle being chased by a predator, so nervous and so eager for what the day held for me.

It was a wonderful September Sunday morning. I woke up to the smell of delicious chocolate chip pancakes. I jumped outta bed, put on my clothes and rushed to the kitchen. My mom had just finished preparing the chocolate chip pancakes and also had made eggs and bacon. The bacon was slightly crispy just how I like it. I ate my breakfast and asked my mom what we would do that day. She thought for a while and meandered over what we should do. In my mind I already knew what I wanted to do and that was go to the farm and do stuff out there. I told her what I wanted to do and she said that it sounded like a plan. We left our place at about 1:00. We stopped for subway on the way out because we were both hungry. I got my usual foot long on italian herbs

After I had my daughter, I had moved back home, temporarily taken off of work, and focused on school and my new baby girl. My family was, at last, there to support me and help me become me again.

Last year on September 11, 2015 it was just a regular Friday, except for the fact that right after volleyball practice I had to go to a wedding rehearsal. I got out of volleyball at 5:30, and my dad and I went to Immanuel Lutheran Church for his, and my now step mom’s wedding rehearsal. The wedding party practiced what we were to say during the service, till we couldn’t get it wrong and then left after talking, planning, and hanging out in the parking lot. My dad went to his best man, nicknamed Bannister’s house, with

I drove home from school that day and immediately started curling my hair and putting makeup on. My dad came home around 4:30 to pick me up so we could go eat downtown at our favorite restaurant, Morgan’s Tavern and Grill. After finishing, we walked down the street to the

Darkness descended, the fog drifted through the dark streets and a chilling wind whistles pass the sleeping homes; the street of old houses looked dull and unwelcoming, an eerie presence had settled in.

It was late on an unusually warm Saturday night when I had to go back to my little side job and help a lady take down decorations from a wedding reception that was being held at St. Anne’s Catholic church in town. It was around 11:30pm and I was dead beat tired and did not want to leave the comfiness of my warm bed and the familiarity of my room. My best friend Gabby was also staying the night at my house that night and she had decided to come with me to help the lady I was working for. So, we bagged up all the junk food we had bought earlier that day and put the liter of pop in the fridge and made our way out to my car.

The day I woke up to this soon to be life changing turn of events, I thought it was just going to be a normal day with my mom, not doing anything out of the ordinary or particularly special. I woke up late in the morning, like I always did on a morning in the summer time, and did nothing all day. I was just doing the usual things a twelve year old girl did in the summer: watch television, eat junk food and play on my phone. I was at my mom’s that day, but I was going to my dad’s house later that day to stay for the weekend. Mom and dad usually met up somewhere later in the day around four or five in the afternoon.