Ankur seems to think I don’t remember how LOUD Ishu used to scream and cry.

Maybe that’s true.

I mean, he’s still loud. But I guess he’s toned it down a bit since his younger years?

I don’t even know because my ears are bleeding all the time because of Riyu’s cry. It’s so LOUD and so MUCH. He has tantrums in a way that Ishu never did at this year (also, to be fair, nobody used to grab things out of Ishu’s hands with the frequency it happens for Riyu).

But, man oh man.

It feels like my ears are still ringing.

I can’t even explain to you how incredible it feels to be in a space where so many adults collectively look after these children.

After a night of being on the receiving end of all the screams, Dadi popped her head into the room, scooped Riyu up to show him the moo-moo-cows on the hill, and then took him into her room. Giving me a teeny bit of space so I could calm my body a little.

I mean, sometimes I just wonder how great of a parent I could be if I had these pillars of support to lean on whenever I needed it. That phrase, “It takes a village” just makes so much darn sense. Especially in these younger years.

Like when I first heard the phrase, I imagined a village of people shuttling kids to soccer practice or gathering around a massive dinner table on Friday evening. Which, also, is nice.

But what’s feeling the most accurate these days it that a village allows adults to tap out when they need to in order to take care of themselves. So that they can return with a full cup, ready to pour all over again.

Yesterday, Ankur and I left the kiddos at home to run errands. (But, also, how nice it is to run errands with no children in the backseat, ha).

We made the first stop at Starbucks and laughed at the fact that this used to be a daily occurrence whenever we visited home. (This was our first visit to Starbs this entire month). And then were in and out of Costco in a flash.

When we got home 2 hours later, we could hear the kids upstairs in Dadi and Babaji’s room. Giggling and laughing and having so much fun.

Like, their safety net here is so large.

They are so comfortable. So secure. So happy. And loved. And cared for. It’s just the absolute best. Knowing that we are not – and never have to be – the sole providers for these little ones.

It’s not just the fact that our kids have more adults to love on ’em.

It’s the fact that those adults can sometimes take over giving them more present, happier, calmer, more REGULATED parents.

At a time when we are not able to live near our families, I’m feeling immense gratitude that we get to make these kinds of trips home. That allow me to piece myself back together again.

Today, we’re off to Monterey to celebrate Thanksgiving with more family. Can’t wait for all the fun these kiddos (and their adults and their adults’ adults) are going to have together!