A Full Heart

Lots of happiness at our house this weekend! It was over way too fast. Kyleigh was indeed a little Mommy to Piper. She read dozens of books to her and helped her use her sippy cup. Our son Jamie seemed quite enamoured of Piper too, that's him holding her in the chair. Caleb soon discovered his Daddy's old lego's that I had kept in storage these many years, just for this opportunity. He had a wonderful time playing with them. Please excuse Grandpa's hair. This was VERY early Sunday morning before showers and breakfast. It was just Grandpa up with all three kids and he was quite happy and really didn't care what he looked like. He had his grandkids in his lap! Do you like Kyleigh's big girl tooth just coming in? Last week she had an accident with some gravel and got an abrasion next to her eye. It seems running and gravel don't mix very well!

That's Brad holding Caleb upside down in the living room. Caleb adores Uncle Brad and they tease each other constantly. He also loves Chloe and likes to lay on her bed with her. :-) Polly is staying here with us for a few weeks while Mandy and Brad go to a wedding in Nebraska. I'll be making a trip to Portland to take her home next month. Meanwhile both dogs are happy to be together again. Both Kyleigh and Caleb amazed us with their reading. Kyleigh is in second grade and can read very well just about anything you give her. Caleb is in kindergarten and likes to read too. Obviously not as well as Kyleigh but he's trying to catch up! Both do math problems in their heads and kept us busy supplying math problems for them to do. This Grandma realized very quickly just how much I depend on my calculator.

Uncle Alex facetimed with us from Japan and he taught Kyleigh and Caleb some Japanese which they proceeded to use the rest of the weekend! He took a very cute screenshot of all three kids and posted it on Facebook. I'm trying to see if I can get a copy as it's very cute. He called again last night to talk to them, not realizing they had already gone home. The only person he had to talk to was me since an exhausted Grandpa had already gone to bed. He is on a short vacation for Golden Week in Japan and was at Hirosaki where the cherry blossoms are and wanted to show the little ones how pretty it is. Mandy, Hubby and I all were there with him three years ago this week and I can vouch for how beautiful it is with the castle and the cherry blossoms. There is a big festival going on at the same time.

Yesterday we took them all to Red Robin after church and right afterwards they all left for home. It's about a 5 hour drive for Jamies family and about 6 hours for Mandy's family so they were all gone by 1:30 in order to be home by bedtime for the kids. Oh my! That was traumatic for Grandpa and Grandma. Would you believe that I have tears in my eyes right now just thinking about it? Ever since Kyliegh was born our way of coping with them leaving our house is to put everything back into it's proper place like a couple of whirlwinds. We had everything put away within an hour and the first load of bedding was in the washer. Otherwise, everytime we see a toy or all of the chairs around the dining table I start crying again. It's easier emotionally to get it out of sight.

They all had great trips home. Jamie had beautiful weather over all the mountain passes. No snow! His kids are seasoned car travelers and are used to long rides to see their other grandparents too. Mandy and Brad had a good trip as well. Miss Piper slept about 3/4 of the drive and was happy the rest of the way. Mandy called and so we could talk to Piper as they drove. She was jabbering and laughing at us in her car seat. :-)

My, oh my, this house is empty now. The devotion last night at church was about contentment. Being content in all things. So I'm really trying to be content with having seen all of my kids this weekend, (even Alex on Facetime!) I still miss them, but I do know that they love us and we love them and nothing can change that. And we're all happy.

Brad is looking at airplanes to buy. After another 6 hour trip here and back in two days, he says he could fly it in an hour. That way, he says, he can come get me to babysit anytime I want! And I want!!! He's wanted a plane for awhile but I think he's getting even more serious about it. He can fly just about anything and is a flight instructor too.

Thanks for putting up with my family babble today. I'm feeling very blessed. We had lots of loving and kisses and hugs all around. Grandma got to help with all three baths, (that's important to us Grandma's isn't it?) I got to change lots of Piper's diapers and I'm feeling very contented about all of it.

Yes, the Lord truly blessed Hubby and I this weekend in many ways. Don't ever take your family for granted my friends. If they live close by, realize just how blessed you are. And if they are all far away like ours are, be thankful for modern things like Skype, Facetime and emails!

Have a lovely, blessed day.

Blessings,

Betsy