“Hey there, can I call you back? I’m in the middle of the hospital.”

The voice on the other end of the line wasn’t my Mother’s but it was indeed her cell phone.

“Ahhhhhh!”

In the distant background I could hear the voices of my mother and sister. They were prodding my niece, “Tell her.”

“I wuv you Jessie”

A lump formed in my throat as I shifted the items in my arms stopping to focus on the long distance voice. I slumped against the wall allowing the wall to support my weight and felt my own piece of personal earthquake.

“Aw,” I stated her favorite new phrase, “K. You Rock.”

“I rock.”

I wiped a tear erasing the over whelmed bad feeling of work stress immediately. It was the gesture that did it. That small act reminded me of how caring and supportive my parents and siblings have always been. Sure, they drive me a little batty, but my entire life I have never doubted that I am tremendously loved. As I’ve grown into another year I’m becoming increasingly aware of the rarity of such a feeling, which makes me all the more grateful for it. No matter what lay in store for me, they’re my advantage.

Not that we’re demanding of anyone except ourselves. No- we’re fun! Easy, laid-back. Ha. Ha. Yes. Fun. There is no reason for anyone to be nervous; the rules are for us only, they are never stated and never discussed. No Sir. We are truth be told in a you better learn to toughen up mode, exceptionally effort making, jovial, comfort giving, we don’t bend to entertain anyone other than one another often at our own expense. Everything is “relatively” low key in a Martha Stewart meets the New York Post manner. But most importantly, they’re accepting of me.

Yeah, I think it’s time I come home Sissy to visit; or we figure out how to move Jersey closer to Texas.