Family made the Fourth!

I have been married for almost eight years.  I look back often on a particular wisdom from our premarital counseling about different struggles that couples face in marriage.  "Leaving and Cleaving" One person in the relationship will struggle with 'leaving' and the other with 'cleaving.'"  One spouse has already separated themselves from their family, embraced their independence, and makes decisions thinking of him/herself on a daily basis. Because they are so independent, they will continuously struggle with depending on their spouse, making decisions with their spouse, and cleaving to their spouse. The other person is much more reliant on their family, still looks to them for decision making, and is still very involved in their dynamics.  Due to their dependence, they will struggle in leaving their family and clinging to their spouse.  Wanna guess which one I am?  Of course, I have always been extremely attached to my family. I'll go into more detail later on what issues that has brought to our marraige..lol.

    

 Two and a half years ago, we moved from Louisville, KY (where my family is), to Eastern Kentucky (where my husbands family is).  I tried to embrace it, I tried to plant roots, but I desperately missed my family.  

Louisville Bats Minor League Baseball Game

   

 For the past few weeks, we have been in Louisville, visiting my family.  I LOVE IT!  This past week, I got to take my kids and husband to the little ice cream dive I grew up at.  Watching my two year old son, covered in Superman Dipped, Superman Ice cream, and my five year old daughter dance around picnic tables while balancing her bubblegum ice cream cone. Then I got to take my kids to the Bats Baseball game with my Uncle and Aunt and Cousin.  It was wonderful!  

Myself, (I really need new glasses), My daughter precious Hannah (5), My  cousin Angelica , (isn't she beautiful?)
and my adorably rotten son Isaiah (2).

My Beautiful, Sweet Aunt

My Super Intelligent, Yet somewhat,
snarky Uncle!!

    And the holidays are always so hard to be away from my family.  But this Fourth of July, I got to be with my husband, my kids, and my mom and our extended family!  We did nothing too fabulous, I didn't tackle any 4th of July Pinterest Projects, but I was surrounded by the love and jokes of my family.  It was wonderful.  

   

     If you are distant from your family in any way, my heart goes out to you.  I pray that God will bless you with wonderful friends, a good church, and lots of contact with your loved ones.  Let me know how you spent your Fourth of July?  And who you are in the relationship? Do you struggle with leaving or cleaving?