{{hugs}} -- I can identify with that with regards to my kids. I grew up with this amazing extended family that was just a huge part of our lives.......and my kids have had the complete opposite experience. With DH being in the military (we met when my DD was 3 - our DS was born 2 years later) staying close to family just wasn't in the cards. We having been closer than 2000 miles apart since 2000 - the in-laws usually visit 2-3 times a year and my mom is only able to make it out only 2-3 years, we have made three trips back to Oregon in that time to visit them (luckily in-laws and my mom are only about an hour from each other so one trip can visit both sides). They have aunts, uncles and cousins they don't even really know - having seen them 2-3 times in their entire lives, in fact my oldest sister and her husband/kids they have never met once. It actually is one of the things that makes me most sad when I sit and think about with regards to all I feel they have missed out on in comparison to the way I grew up.Most of my time growing up we lived in different provinces from all the extended family so I didn't get super close to anyonewe lived a bit closer when we were in high school (they were about two hours away) but by then I got so jaded about hearing how awesome the other grandchildren were and seeing all their pictures in the apartments...meah.![]()
My Oma (dads mom) really screwed things up with me about six or seven years ago too. I only speak to her occasionally for my dad...she's said things that just can't really be forgiven or forgotten.
Sad thing is...any family if we ever have kids...will probably be the forgotten ones too...since all the family is in Ontario (Canada) on my side...and we're in California.