Snowed In

Snowstorms seem to bring out the worst in the girls.  I remember last year the when they were dropped off at our house during the east coast blizzards because my sister and her husband were at their wits end with them.  (the 4 girls were originally supposed to live with my younger sister C and her three kids but that's another story)  I really didn't understand it then and chuckled at how my sister was crazy and that E and M were just kids and no problem.   Boy was I wrong.

We've been stuck at home all week.  The kids have been in school only one day.  For 2 of these days, we've had no power.  I've heard nothing for the past 24 hours but complaining from the girls.  Why don't we have a generator?  Is the milk going to go bad?  I'm bored.  Why doesn't A have a $300 snowboard instead of one from Target?  Complaint, after complaint, after complaint.  That's mostly from E, but this sends M into such weird moods.  She is still so stuck between worlds.  She wants to be part of our family but is fiercely loyal to her sister who is actively against it.  I'm sure that behind closed doors E lectures M about acting like part of our family.  I often wonder what E thinks is going to happen if she keeps pushing us away.  M is only 10 years old.  She needs parents.  She needs a family.  So does E for that matter, but she'll never admit it.  Instead of saying what she's really upset about, she complains about our family, our life, and our house.  She just isn't ready or mature enough to just say she misses her parents.

I normally love snow days.  I love being home with the boys.  The last few days makes me want to get them all back in school pronto.  Unfortunately another snow storm is called for Tuesday.  It's weeks like this that I realize that I've lost more than just my sister and brother-in-law.  In many ways we've lost our family as we knew it.  Sometimes that just sucks.