long time. busy year.

It has been a remarkably long time since I've posted. My goal is to get back into posting regularly, however, time is always an issue. There is so much to cover over the past year, that I'm not sure where to begin. I need to write about Keith's graduation, our vacation, Keith's new job, the continuation of my job, moving again, wedding planning, family developments (cousin's baby, getting a puppy, family relationships, etc.), and the list goes on. However, my primary focus for today's blog is to vent; to share feelings that have built up over time and are about to explode, again.

Let's start with the dysfunction of Keith's family... his father spent Christmas day through the 30th of December at our house. During this time, we filled it with family dinners and other activities that brought him closer to our world. Quality time was spent together throughout the visit, granted it was all with my family because his father doesn't have any family left, but it was still quality time. After the visit, I hear from his sister that he was upset because he didn't get any time alone with Keith (keep in mind that they spent one-whole day of his four day trip going to the city and attending a Bulls game without me). Despite my best efforts to make him feel like part of a family it just wasn't enough.

Now, just today, Keith was speaking with his mother and again she mentioned that she would like to go on a date, alone. She constantly specifies that she would appreciate quality time alone (which really just means without me, because I'm always the only one there). So, needless to say, it makes me mad that they try to exclude me. My family is incredibly accepting and never excludes anyone. Also, in my family it's an excepted fact that Keith and I are a team and we do things together. Not saying that we can't do things apart but we enjoy being together and there's just no logical reason to exclude someone, if they have nothing else to do. The invitations in my family are always open-ended and extended to everyone (as evidenced by Ken's invitation to our Christmas).

Keith's sister has also mentioned that she doesn't want me to attend all family events because she wasn't to spend time with Keith alone. I've never done anything to anyone in their family and I've always been respectful. I'm not sure what their problem is...

Am I being too sensitive? Is there a logical reason that I should not be invited to a dinner with Keith's mother? Is there a logical reason that his sister doesn't invite me to come see her new apartment? Is there a logical reason that his father doesn't enjoy coming to stay at our house? If there is, I just don't see it and I always end up hurt because yet again, I'm not being accepted into his family. Everything his family does is centered around secrets, excluding people, and overall just being a little deceitful. It makes me uncomfortable and I don't understand it.

On a happier note, I will share the events over the year as quickly and in as much vivid detail as I can over the coming weeks. I have been incredibly neglectful with writing because of the time I spend working on a daily basis. Isn't that truly pathetic? Work takes over and I don't even have 30 minutes to write in a night. We'll see what the weeks bring, but I'll try to catch up!