My beef

I'm just here to share my beef for the day. I have a beautiful new niece, born just yesterday. That is not my beef. My beef is that I have not gotten to see her yet. My family all lives at least an hour away, which sometimes feels like it may as well be in another state. I couldn't drive up to greet her yesterday because, as her father pointed out on Saturday, my tires were in no shape to be driving long distances. Today was the first day I would be able to remedy that (which I did... a $500 treat!). It was for the best, though, because as it turned out, I caught the cold that Lacey brought home from the gym last week (she also shared it with Nora, Alex, and Addison. Sorry guys!!!). It is the cold that is keeping me from enjoying her sweet, newborn yummy-ness today and probably for the rest of the week. If I'm lucky, I'll be well enough to hold her by Saturday when Mike and I can drive up together. I hate that it's so difficult to spend as much time with my family as I'd like. I thorougly enjoy sharing holidays, special occassions and lots of birthdays, but it's never enough for me. It saddens me that my family doesn't fully know Lacey's funny and very Whelan personality because she's still not quite comfortable enough to display it around them. I wish that I could get together with my mom or my sisters randomly for lunch or play dates with the kids without having to factor in the two-hour drive, avoiding traffic, working in Lacey's nap, etc. etc. etc. I wish that I could more easily share my home and surroundings with my family. I don't know if they ever quite realize how much I wish I could be with them more and that it's always painful to me to miss something. As it is, Arlington is our home, and that's not at all a bad thing. Mike's family is close, which is wonderful. I have a few great friends and of course, there's the practice. Mike's a bit of a hero in Arlington and is recognized just about everywhere he goes. That makes me proud and I love that for him. And of course, I know that most people, including a few of my own siblings, would love to live even an hour away from their families (and some may want live much further than they do!). For now, I'm just sad because I want to meet Mallory so badly and to share this experience with my sister. Maybe some day, we'll open a second practice up that way.... in the future............... For now, just have to enjoy what I do get and hope to get to spend lots of time with little Mallory soon.