A few random thoughts:

Lately I have been thinking of all the great things of living in California and being away and our own little family for awhile.  Considering we don't have a lot of choice in the matter (that's where Paul has a good job), I think it's healthy for me to focus on the great things of being there instead of wishing to be somewhere else.  BUT, I have been in Utah for the week visiting family, and I am faltering a little in my belief of the goodness of being on your own.  How could I not when I see little things like the following each day:

Today I walked out into the backyard to make sure Lydia was still with my Dad.  I didn't see them on the trampoline or the swings (where they normally are), but then I heard some singing from another area of the yard.  I looked over and saw my dad lying on the grass under the shade of the tree with Lydia sitting right next to him, looking at him intently as he sang some song he was making up about how cute Lydia was.  I quietly went back in the house and let my daughter enjoy her happy moments with her Papa.

Yesterday, we went to Palisade lake with my parents and grandparents.  We were sitting at a picnic table eating a bag full of freshly picked peas from my grandpas garden.  Lydia probably ate more than the rest of the adults :) She went around the table, naming each person (Papa, Vova, Papa Clyde, Vova Jean, Alex) and giving them big hugs.  She probably went around half a dozen times.  She absolutely adores all her grandparents, and it's so fun to see her face light up each time she sees any of them.

I was getting Lydia down for her nap.  I have a Portuguese song she loves me to sing to her before she goes to sleep.  Well, she didn't want me to sing it...she wanted her Vova.  She started crying and said, "Vova sing it.  Vova hold you! hold you!"  You have to understand that when Lydia is really tired (which is was) she rarely wants ANYONE (even her beloved Daddy) besides me.  It made me realize how attached she gets in such a short time to grandparents.

Anyway, there are lots of cute little things that have happened, and we haven't even seen the Howell grandparents yet, which Lydia adores just as much.

I am thinking that by the end of my trip here in Utah, I may be back to my old line of thinking that even though you forgo some of the independence and the building of your little family unit, and you deal with lots of family drama when you live close to everyone, it could all be worth it.  My happy daughter is even more happy here...she is surrounded by people that love her just as much as Paul and I do.  That is priceless.