Week 43 - Day Three: Family Visit (Drove)

My brother, his girlfriend, and their son (who is two months younger than my daughter) came to town last night for a short visit - they're leaving tomorrow morning. They arrived around 10 pm on Tuesday night, and I spent the couple hours I had before that making sure the place was relatively clean, freshly vacuumed, and that the guest bedroom in particular was functional for them.

My still-new boyfriend came over and stuck around long enough to meet them when they arrived. He did this, even though it made for a really late night for him, because he knew it meant a lot to me for him to meet my family (who, by the way, are objectively the greatest people of all time). It's always a big moment: the new boyfriend meeting the family for the first time. I put a lot of stock in it because I can't imagine being with someone who doesn't fit in with my family. They all got along really well, even though the meeting was quite short, and that was a huge relief to me. Way to jump that hurdle, old chap!

Because I wanted to leave as late in the morning as possible and arrive home as early as possible - even ducking out of work an hour early to maximize the amount of time I could spend with my family - I drove today. With no regrets. I got home shortly after 3 pm instead of 4:45, and I spent the whole rest of the afternoon and evening hanging out with my brother and his family. The little toddler cousins played and watched lame toddler movies and shared in their own strange conversations with each other (they way they converse is so cute given that language is so new to both of them!). We went to the Cheesecake Cafe for dinner. It's one of those establishments that was family-friendly enough to take the kids to while introducing the visiting adults to a restaurant they can only DREAM of in their hometown of Lloydminster. It worked out well. We all had belly-aches by the time we were through with it.

I love when family comes to visit. It'll be sad when they leave. These are the days that I desperately wish I were back in Regina, living in a city teeming with family and social supports. My daughter would have a relationship with her cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandma. Sure, maybe Regina wouldn't be the best place for me to set up an ambitious private practice and become a millionaire (insert smirk here), but it would sure be wonderful to be around family. So, that begs the question (one I discussed at great length with my brother as we digested cheesecake): what's more important at this stage of my life, family or career? And if I can figure that out - and I think I can - where the Hell am I going to live when I graduate from this program?

Oh, the questions! None of which have easy answers.