All this month I am participating in the A to Z Challenge. Today's letter is...
For Grandchildren
My grandchildren live in Texas. I live in Oregon. One of the great things about retirement is that I am free to go and visit whenever I get the urge. I'm a pretty regular visitor to Texas. For the first time in my life I have medallion frequent flyer status on Delta...and just about the only place I've gone is Texas! We are also regular users of FaceTime.
The grandchildren come and stay with us in Oregon during the summer. The first year they came for three weeks. The second year it was six weeks. This year we're picking them up in South Dakota in early June in the RV, and they'll be with us until August 8. I can't wait.
These are my grandchildren last summer on one of our adventures to Fossil Oregon:
and at Multnomah Falls:
They are such a big part of my life. I find indicators of their influence everywhere.
You know you're a grandparent when strange pictures show up on your iPad and you have no idea how they got there...and sometimes you have no clue what they are:
You know you're a grandparent when your purse contains bandaids, random crayons, wet wipes, and emergency snacks, weeks after visiting the grandchildren.
You know you're a grandparent when you can sing the theme songs from Wonder Pets and Backyardigans and your children are in their thirties.
You know you're a grandparent when you plan your summer RV road trip around what "the girls" would enjoy.
You know you're a grandparent when your email is is filled with the latest offers from Gymboree, Carters, and Striderite.
I can't imagine life without our grandchildren. I wish we had a lot more of them.
Posts
The most precious jewels you'll ever have around your neck are the arms of your grandchildren.
ReplyDeleteI agree! And I must say, your girls are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI envy you your beautiful grandchildren, Jann, and I can tell you that my life is much less complete because I don't have any. They are wonderful. :-)
ReplyDeleteLike you, my life changed for the better when I held my first grandchild in my arms.
ReplyDeleteI envy you your frequent contact with the girls.
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful that you are able to spend so much time with the girls! But I marvel at your energy and the fact that each year the time spent with you in Oregon increases substantially!
ReplyDeleteI remember working up from a weekend to a week to a month to a summer.The RV was a plan of genius; I recall you sort of sheepishly getting it, and now it's the hub of many plans. My mother took all the grandchildren (she had six) on camping vacations. I was never able to do that. But, the children had the adventures this grandma offered, and that became their special summers.
ReplyDeleteHow fun for you to get to enjoy the grandchildren. How fun foir them that Oregon and Texas are so different, I am sure they are creating great memories #AtoZchallenge stop Mine are just GOURDS at http://4covert2overt.blogspot.com/
ReplyDeleteWhat lucky grandchildren to have grandparents that spend so much time with them. Some of my happiest childhood memories are of times spent with my grandparents. You're making memories with them that they'll always treasure.
ReplyDeleteYou are so lucky to have your grandchildren with you that much. I love being a grandmother.
ReplyDeleteI am fortunate to now have my grandchildren nearby and to be a ore steady part of their lives.
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