Together

Each time I go out I tend to get asked a series of questions, usually the same ones although different depending on if I have the boys with me or not. Yesterday I was out by myself and was asked by a taxi driver the same string of questions I have been asked many times before. First, "where are you from?" I am sure you know the answer to that one. Next, "where do you live" then "why are you here?" I let him know that my husband was studying the local language. Immediately he asked, "is your husband also American, and do you both live together here?". I answered just as quickly in the positive and also offered the information that we have two small children. His next question and one I get almost anytime the boys are not with me was "are they still in America?". I explained that they live here in the country with us and are at home asleep right now with my husband.
I had some time to just sit and think a bit after this conversation and began to realize how incredibly thankful I am that our family is together. Jared, I and the boys are blessed to be able to live here and be together. As we talk with people in our neighborhood and in the city we see so many families that are not all living in one place. The mother and father are often living in another city, often separate cities, while the children live here with the grandparents. This seems to be very common, we have noticed it especially among the families in our apartment complex. Definitely gives a different meaning to 'mother' and 'father' and just 'family' in general.