Small World, Big Love..and a Birdhouse.

Its a fact of life that living away from family means that you will inevitably miss out on life events and special occasions from time to time. Being there virtually has been a saving grace for Nicole and I. Skype, Kakao, Facebook, Twitter and our blogs offer us a direct connect with loved ones back home but there are still some things that just don’t quite make the journey through electronic media.

My youngest sister Katerina just celebrated her 7th birthday last week. Its hard to believe since I don’t see her as often as I like and it seems that she’s grown ten fold each and overtime I do. This makes me sad sometimes. I think of what I am missing and knowing what those things are after seeing my younger brother Shawn and younger sister Shannon grow up beside me. Its becoming more common on skype that I have to shift gears with her just to keep up with her ever changing vocabulary.

I sat back and lamented for days over the perfect gift. You see Kata is really special and she certainly loves kids stuff but i’m her biggest brother and with that title comes the immense responsibility of delivering a gift that doesn’t disappoint. Dolls and make-up aren’t really her thing, unless they come from her older sister Shannon…then they rule. She’s more a bug, dino’s and dragons type. Her strongpoint however is her ability to create. From music to art and everything in between, she thinks in a way only she can and when you see some of what she has created its easy to see her talent. Being that her home on Long Island, NY still has some summer and a beautiful fall to look forward to, I opted for a birdhouse. Not just any birdhouse though….one she could decorate and make special for the backyard in only a way that she would know how. With Nicole’s “OK”, which is crucial and basically like a quality assurance checkpoint I run my ideas through…..off it went. With the help of trustworthy sites like naturepavilion.com, Nicole and I were able to gift wrap and personalize the house. Little additions like these help make it more special even when we can’t be there to deliver it ourselves in person.

As expected, Kata made the house beautiful and even wrote a super cool thank you to Nicole and I that her mom scanned and sent to us via email.

While I know that there will be other days we may miss, I also know that Kata and the rest of our family know that while we are away physically, that in our hearts and minds can never be that far off. I hope that in some way for Kata, she can look at our family and how distance can be overcome, especially in the most important relationships. One day she will want to travel, and when that day comes she won’t be afraid to take that step confidently knowing that family is always close….wherever your adventure takes you.