A Week-End to Just Be Kids Again

It seems like I am always playing catch up these days.

We had a great Memorial Day week-end hanging out with our Green Bay grandkids while thier parents took some much needed R & R for a couple of days. It's funny though, after and evening or so of alone time they couldn't wait to get back to their children and they made it home on Monday before we were prepared to receive them. I think it is great that the moms in our family do not find their children to be a burden and, in fact, go to the other extreme to keep them as close as they can. I am also grateful then that they are generous in their sharing of the children allowing us to snatch them up for our own alone time with them. Isn't that really the best way to get to know these precious individuals as the wonderful people they are becoming.

We took the children on bike rides on two of the days. Jack is so grown up now. He has a grown up bike which I am proud to say he bought with his own saved money. He attached the burley to his new bike and towed his little sister Elise around without ever a complaint. We were also very proud of Ella who is relatively new to riding her two wheeler on long bike rides. She rode 8 miles in one ride, far exceeding her expection of herself that she could only do 2 miles. She also never complained nor did she have any trouble keeping up.

When we weren't riding bikes, we played at the parks on the equipment and  some hide and seek, we played baseball in the backyard, and we had a campfire. Just great ways to enjoy the energy and enthusiam of these great kids. In the evening, we had a dance party in the basement. These are not the children we read about who spend their time in front of the TV. Grandma and Grandpa went home suitably tired.

Next week we will have Ella sort of by ourselves on her very own adventure with grandparents. We are taking her with us to my sister Carol's family's big celebration in Virginia. They are celebrating 1) their 40th wedding anniversary, 2) the marriage of their son, Andy to Amy, and 3) the arrival of their own grandson, Joey. The occasion also serves as a family reunion for both the Patterson and the Miller families.

Unfortunately, it is just too far for two of our own sons to travel in their current circumstances. They will be sorely missed and I know that they are sorry to have to miss such a great event when all of the extended family gathers.