May The Circle Be Unbroken…….

Ahh, the smell of Gerber’s strained apricots is on its way. Cathy was gone three and a half hours buying groceries. And she got home with no Oreos (not healthy for the kids), no cashews (one has a nut allergy), no gum balls (might accidentally get caught in a baby’s throat) and no royal fudge ripple ice cream (she forgot that). I knew her sister, Jo Blair, was not coming because the Piggly Wiggly didn’t send the bread truck directly to the house.

I did question why she was shopping on a Sunday afternoon. “I have to. I’m picking up Addison tomorrow.” I was afraid to say anything. But my mind went in to overdrive. The kids were coming Thursday. And she was picking up the oldest granddaughter on Monday? I was dying to point out the idiocy of driving halfway to North Georgia to pick up a three year old that would be coming in the next couple of days anyway. You’re telling me that makes sense! I let it pass. A grandmother can turn on you in a heart beat.

I hadn’t seen so much store bought food since Leon brought the Heywood Family trapeze and high wire act from the passing circus home for supper…..and then invited the entire tenth grade class out to eat with his new friends!

Cathy had sack after sack of milk, hot pockets, chocolate pudding, gummy bears, Gerber’s Graduates (I didn’t ask exactly what a one year old needed with “graduate” food), Happy Baby Organic Banana Puffs, Earth’s Best Carrots and Parsnip and several jars of organic spinach and potatoes mix. And we are surprised that one of the very first words out of every baby’s mouth is “NO”!

I was looking forward to this next week…..even if it was going to be Oreo-less.  I don’t know how it worked out that both boys could get home at the same time. But I betcha Granny had something to do with it. Josh and Lindsey have a four year old son and twin girls approaching walking age. Jess and Jessica have the aforementioned Addison and a three month old on the ground….. and I’m hoping three or four more in the planning stage.

We might all be on spinach and parsnip before the week is out.

You can’t beat family! I’ve known that since Aunt Beatrice used to show up down at the end of Stonewall with the pickled peaches and apple preserves. I was one of the “just barely walking upright” in those get-togethers. I grew to love those grown-ups that tussled my hair; threw me over their shoulder; filled my heart with stories about “wily” Uncle Marvin or “cautious” Aunt May White…..and then got down on their hands and knees and chased after me around the dining room table. Even Pa would get down on one knee so he could look me right in the eye when he spoke.

It’s now my turn to lower myself. The family meetings are fun no matter which direction you view it from. As a matter of fact, with the maturity comes an understanding of just how precious these moments are. We all live too fast. We all stay too busy. I’m not about to waste a minute of the up coming opportunity. If Luke wants to hide from the garbage man, I’m crawling under the cover with him. If Hayden and Hannah want to shuffle themselves so I can’t pick out which is which, I’m going to play along. If Addison wants to ride her new bike to South Dakota, I’m going to be right behind her. If little Avery spits up…..I’m going to hand her to Cathy. 

My mind stretched back to our old dining room table. Uncle F. D. would have me by the leg and pulling me back….I’d escape and be off again! Daddy would get a hide and go-seek game going. Leon would be showing us how to make gun powder in the back bedroom. Grandmother would “save me” just before Cousin Charles could put me in the West Japanese, double-cross, step-over toe hold. The safety of Granny’s arms and her great laughter still ring in my ears.

I suggested a sand box before the children arrived. Cathy didn’t think I had time. She wanted me to remake the tool shed into a giant miniature kitchen complete with pink stove, sink and counter top. She is geared into the fact that four out of our five grandchildren are little ladies. Cathy also had the house trim painted. And had the Atrium door re-done. And put carpet in the den. And bought a new sofa and love seat…..I’m not sure which grandchild all that was about…..

We certainly didn’t have enough room to sleep eleven people but that was the fun part! And I didn’t care where the children bedded down……me and five lively, beautiful, laughing grandchildren are camping out in the living room. We are going rafting down the Cascade River. We are hopping a freighter bound for the Yukon. We are running with the bulls in Pamplona. We are climbing Kilimanjaro. I’m teaching each one of them the West Japanese, double-cross, step-over toe hold. I’m going to tell them about Bad Louie, Great Uncle David and the flying Heywood Family. 

Cathy came by with the car keys dangling in her hand. “Where are you going now?”

“I’ve got to run back to the store. That was just the first load. How about getting off the sofa and vacuuming the carpet.”

The first load? You’re kidding right….. “Cathy?” I jumped up. “Don’t forget the royal fudge ripple ice cre—” It was too late. She was already on aisle 5, reaching for the Huggies.

I love it when a plan comes together. 

Respectfully,

Kes