We live over 800 miles from our family. Since we got married, over 14 years ago, the closest we've lived to family is just under 800 miles and the farthest we've been was over 1400 miles. Being from the Midwest we are a bit of an anomaly. Midwesterners tend to stay in the Midwest and usually within a 40ish mile radius of family.
Obviously with BJ in the Air Force and almost no active duty bases in the Midwest living close to home has not been an option for us.
Over the years our families have not only accepted our absence but have actually enjoyed the opportunities to travel that come with us living far away.
They enjoyed that is until last month.
When we brought Sophie home it seems the game changed. The twice a year that we regularly head to Wisconsin is already not good enough. The once or twice a year that our families visit us just doesn't seem like it's gonna cut it any more. We have had more complaints about the distance in the last month then we have in 14 years.
Thankfully we live the age of not just Facebook and email, but Skpye and PS3 chat.
Since we stayed home for Christmas we video chatted with our families. It was almost like being there. We got to see them and they got to see Sophie. We set it up so they could watch her play, climb, and crawl while we talked. It was awesome.
Every couple of days one of the grandparents will call and see if we have time to Skype. They love making googlie faces as Sophie and watching her laugh, and smile. Granted it's not the same as being there, Sophie is awfully squeezable, but its a whole lot better then just email (or way back when there was only snail mail and a phone call).
Today Sophie got her Christmas presents from my brother and his wife. Instead of a call to thank them, we video chatted. Sophie's aunt and uncle were able to watch her play with the toys that they sent her, they could talk to her and since she could see them, she smiled and waved and giggled at them as though they were in the room.
I love video chatting!
BJ and I have at least 5.5 years left before moving back to the Midwest is really an option. We definitely plan to move back eventually but the Air Force has been good to us and we plan to make it to retirement (possibly a little further). In the mean time we are so thankful for the technology to stay close to the people we love and have them be an active part in Sophie's life. What a blessing.
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