The Rocky Return

Tiger: You may have noticed from our family reunion pictures that our cousin Rayne is back from GA for the summer... or is she? There are a few issues going down revolving her return. Her mommy may need to do an important program for school & has asked Uncle Bill to keep Rayne for the next 1.5 yrs. Insert corny soap opera drama music.

Uncle Bill is not a happy camper about this possible scenario. Our faithful readers from the beginning of this blog may recall that over the years Rayne has spent a good portion of her summer living with us. Well this year things are different. Bobby is becoming his own person with very strong opinions. Mommy hasn't been feeling as well with the major heat influx going on in MD. We aren't able to take her as much because of things here. Mommy spends a lot of time going to doctors & having tests. We all feel it isn't fair to make someone step into our insane routine if they don't have to. Plus it is time Uncle Bill grew up and accepted his responsibilities.

Well apparently our decision has caused cataclysm. Everyone assumed Rayne would be spending most of her summer here so no one ever thought to make other arrangements for child care. Of course most of this is an non verbal expectation which means when we stated we weren't able to do as much everyone just paused in shock. Mommy has been very adamant on her stand even though it is breaking her heart. It isn't that we don't love Rayne or anything like that. We just can't do it.

Every year during the summer we have become a family of 6 with no financial help, providing summer clothes, & everything else that goes along with having another child. We aren't in the same place as we have been in the past. Mommy's illness has caused her to take a big pay decrease because she just can't work as much. Plus mommy has a lot of issues with energy running after the 3 of us all day while daddy is at work. Don't get me wrong. She gets by but we seem to have a lot more playtime just sitting on the floor then our past zealous activities.

Either way my parents agreed to have Rayne here 6 days a month instead of the 4 days a week. I mean we do want to spend time with Rayne & do things with her. We just can't become her summer home anymore. Of course the best part is with the lingering possibility of Rayne living in MD for 1.5 yrs there have been certain expectations that she will live with us. Even Rayne asked to live here. Mommy had to remind everyone that we can't take her unless we adopt her permanently. Plus we aren't her parent/step parent. There comes a time when her father needs to become her father in reality not just in name. Mommy would adopt Rayne in a heart beat but Rayne's mommy loves her so much & it is hurting her enough having to send her away for so long just to finish her nursing degree. It just isn't the answer to this problem.

The irony of this whole situation is Bobby. For some reason he has great issues with Rayne being here. He screams bloody murder when she get near him without an invitation. He demands mommy hold him most of the day when she is here. Plus he gets angry when mommy does stuff with Rayne even if it is hugging her goodbye. Daddy thinks it is a jealousy issue since Bobby is an only child & never has to share his mommy on the home front. Either way it confirms that we will be navigating through some rough storms over the next few months. Maybe it is a good thing mommy is planning a mountain runaway for our family in the fall. I think we will definitely need it.