Manufactured Obligations

I hate the holidays.  Someone always gets slighted, being married and having divorced parents creates 3 or 4 families that all want their kids with them for holidays and then there's us, our little core family of 5.

Everyone has been understanding when they get the shaft for the date, but it still stinks to have to choose.  I swear, divorce is what's wrong with our country.  People should have to enter marriage with the knowledge that it's forEVER and only death will end it.  I think it's too easy to just quit a marriage and bust up a family, anyone can do and they can do it over and over.  Maybe if there was a death penalty, people would slow down and think.

I know there are abused spouses and children, but that was not what busted up either of our families-or pretty much anyone else I know who has divorced parents.  It's running around on the side, 'growing apart' or something else just as selfish. 

Today, we spend this holiday with my father.  His mother says she understands.  When I was a kid, I used to think ahead to holidays with my family.  Mother pointed out a small tree in the yard when I was about 10 and said when I had kids, she would hang a swing on the branch for them.  I would be at my grandparents house and mark things in my mind.  "We will do this.  We won't do that."  I had it all planned out. Macaroni and cheese as a major and required side dish, check.  Football, X.  I even liked the super hokey turkey cakes my mother would make, I gave those the check.  Dressing with gravy, check, smoking in the yard, X. 

We are off, pies and sides packed and Chandler's muffins-the only thing she took away from a 6 week unit study on Frank Lloyd Wright was the recipe for his favorite scones.  hahaha  I love my kids.