My life part eight

So for many years I was a working mom with three children, all close in age; rental properties to manage; parents and siblings living near by - it was a very busy time. I love/need plenty of sleep and was often deprived of it, sometimes I wonder if staying so long in traffic reporting was wise and if I'd have been a better mother if I'd done something else (you have to get up early to be at work at 5 am camera ready) but hindsight can be 20/20. At the time it seemed the only choice, not the least of it was that I worked 20 hours and got health coverage for the family, as mentioned J is self employed and that cost is prohibitive on our budget.  My kids weren't overly scheduled but they did have activites outside of school: some sports, band/lessons, performing in plays etc. The two eldest went to college (expensive and on the east coast, good thing they were smart and got some decent financial aid) and the third wanted to go to California instead. She got some nanny interviews and during her senior year spring break she and I went out, stayed with J's sister in Mill Valley and went on her interviews. She got hired by a wealthy family in Los Gatos - she had her own little house on their property! - and worked for a year there. She decided to come home afterward and I think we made the right choice, she would have resented us/always wondered what would have happened if she'd been in CA (meeting the Kardashians? hanging out with Seal and Heidi Klum?? ,  thats what I think she thought it was going to be). M now lives in LA, he's a writer. C is in Baltimore, teaching and loves her job, little C is going to community college, waitressing, acting and voice over and has a great boyfriend.
Over the years we took extended family vacations, about 4 times total, to Nags Head. Rented a huge house right on the beach and all my four sisters, their families and my parents would go for a week. Great memories. We always still get together for holidays and birthdays. My parents are 88/89 years old and still living independently, but that's getting more tenuous daily. With five daughters, all living within close proximity,  they get help/visitors etc. regularly. Gram lived, very healthy mind and body, to 100 years old.  She was a seminal figure in my life, love her so much.
Gonna end here today.
Love you Gram!
Laurie