the countdown has just begun

every time i visit my parents for extended periods of time, there's about a 4-5 day tolerance before i remember the joys of living on my own. don't get me wrong. i love 'em to death. they are the most amazing, thoughtful, selfless people i know. my mom has sewn full outfits for my sister and I to wear for our family reunion in Burma this winter and my dad goes out and buys dim sum the day before my visits home so i'll have some favorite treats in the morning the next day for breakfast. but after about 4-5 days of living with them, they start to revert back to their old ways of parenthood.

for example: my mom has taken to leaving out a vitamin for me to take every day since i've been home and has now reminded me, count them - six times - since last night to fill out some visa form for our trip to burma in december. i reminded her that i am now 27 years old and have been living as a functioning adult for quite some time now (believe it or not) and can remember to do these things on my own. my dad has asked about the parking ticket that, unfortunately for me, ended up getting mailed to their house now that my car is with them eight times since i've been back (today is my 4th day home - that's twice a day to the mathematically impaired, yo).

anyhow, i'm leaving tomorrow so all will be right again in the world. the imbalances of power in the relationship will go back to the equilibrium it once was before my arrival. their assumptions that i'm taking care of myself because they can't see what i'm doing will return, their sense of denial that i am spending a lot of nights with my bf will persist and their free-spiritedness in not having to "take care of their child" again will be restored. funny how life works.