Catch Joy As it Flies By: We Are THE DUDEK GIRLS

Saturday, March 24, 2012

We Are THE DUDEK GIRLS

My family has not been at all close through the years. I have 4 brothers. Two older and two younger. We DO acknowledge each other's existence. (Actually, my little brother (ha - yea, little - ummm 50?) and I have always been close. But I refer to the family as a whole.) Some of us came together a few times a year at our parent's house or to celebrate one of my kid's birthdays but more often than not, it was a quick wave on the road, or news received through our parent(s). I'm not sure why it is that "things" are like that but it IS, what it IS and after years of stressing over it, attempting to make it "nice", staying ~~Switzerland~~ neutral, I finally gave up and just went about my life and accepted we weren't the Waltons and we never would be. My nieces and nephew were in and out of my life from a young age but as they got older, sightings were far and few between. My father's death has changed all that a bit. I think it brought most of us closer together and I am quite content with that.

But one thing has really brought me GREAT JOY. I have spent some quality time, recently, with my nieces, Erin and Kelly, who are 21ish and 36ish? (LOL - I don't even know!!!) I LOVE THAT!!!!! I have had such fun being with them!

We are all ravenous readers and often read the same books and give each other recommendations. Yesterday, we went to see The Hunger Games together on opening day. (AWESOME job making that book into a movie, BTW!) I had breakfast with Erin in the morning and then the three of us met up and sat in the theater blabbing, blabbing, blabbing before the movie. We are all at such different stages of our lives so it's VERY interesting! Erin is finding her way through her twenties and keeps us ~~rolling our eyes~~ LAUGHING alot! Kelly is successfully rising through the ranks of the corporate world and raising her gorgeous 4 year old son with her husband Justin. And then there's ME. Haaaaaa - well - need I say much about that - all you dedicated, entertained readers out there?? You get the picture.

The point is, as I think back on our conversations yesterday and then recall our last Dudek girl day making Grandpa's pierogis just before Christmas, my heart is happy and excited and very grateful to have this precious time with my blood girls. We ARE the Dudek girls. The only ones. And we have found each other. I am so joyful about this!

Oh wait! I just realized - there are 2 MORE Dudek girls coming up the ranks!!! My 10 year old daughter Brooke and also my almost 2 year old great niece, Taylor. I just realized that THEY are Dudek girls, too! Taylor is my nephew Nathan's daughter - Kelly's niece. Any family tree experts out there? Is my nephew's daughter considered my great niece???