We always think we raised our kids and of course that is correct. Our kids emerged from our upbringing and flourished in directions I could not have anticipated.
We have one in Berlin and one in Mainz and it has been a gift to watch them flourish, flounder and emerge. They learned the languages, customs and mores of another country. This has led me to conquer the German language and now parts of Europe I may not have been deeply exposed to. Marina lived in the Maldives for a while, and it was nice to visit her there.
I watch them be parents and they are better parents than I. They have given us the gift of being grandparents. We are headed to Seattle this weekend to be with the other child. We will embark on some type of adventure once again. When our middle daughter moved to Seattle, I told her not to marry a Seattle Sounders fan.
She did, and us Timbers and Sounders fans get along fine. It has been nice to relearn Seattle once again.
We have a family reunion coming up in western Maryland somewhere. Family members need not bear rewards of any type other than being there to spend time together. That is all the gift we need.
My Mom gave me a wash basket when I graduated from college. My stepfather gave us a safe one year for Christmas, my grandmother gave me Kielbasa (I am vegan) for Christmas. So, gifts are not our forte.
Being there is.
The Side Effects of Endorphins 
I would love to hear you opinion as well