Family, as of now.

Sometimes it amazes me how much things change, and how quickly. 

Although it seems like just yesterday that we took Madi into our home, it seems like just yesterday that she also moved out. I used to think of it as having two children. I thought that way for a bit even after she left. But we started seeing her less and less. I was no longer allowed to have her in my care alone since her mother deemed me 'unfit' out of no where. 

I still love her like family, but I no longer think of her as my daughter in the same way. She will always be Eric's daughter. At one point I would've assumed she would always be a sister to Chloe, but more and more it seems like the bond is one-sided. Chloe absolutely adores Madi and asks for her all the time. Madi, however, is quite indifferent to me and Chloe. I only see Madi for about an hour or less a week, but she spends every Thursday with Chloe all day, and still she runs past Chloe and asks for the tv immediately upon her arrival. To the point that it even hurts Chloe's feelings at time. 

What I once considered to be 'my family' is drifting apart more and more with each passing week. 

Even my own family is breaking apart a little. My mother spent a little over a weeek with us, sharing a room with Chloe, before she moved quite far away. Chloe got used to having her around, and asks for her and my nephew all the time. She doesn't understand yet that Grannie is far away. We probably won't see her again until my wedding, which is still a little over a year away. 

My mother and my brother are both living in the same spot, far away. My sister is an hour away, but we don't speak much. My grandfather is still in my hometown, about two hours away, but it's hard to get over to visit him very often. 

It's like I'm losing more and more family by the day. 

Luckily, I'll always have Chloe. At least until she's a teenager and decides to hate me. But for now she's my best friend, my favorite person to spend time with. 

And then there's Eric. Who used to take Chloe to daycare on the bus when I worked too early to do so. Who makes supper for us when he works late, because I hate cooking. Who puts up with my crazy mood swings. Who took care of me when I was sad that my mother was leaving. Who takes care of Chloe like she's his own. 

That's my family now. It's small. It makes me sad that we seem to have 'lost' everyone else, but I'm quite happy with the ones who are left.