We met their family out at an indoor playground, and it was the perfect place to celebrate in February.
The kids ran and climbed until they were red and sweaty. Faces that overheated haven't been seen in months.
When it was time to go home, John invited us over to their house for pizza instead.
That was a pretty nice surprise.
Later, I was sitting sitting at the table on the bench over the radiator in their kitchen, Dan and John, Alicia and Dannell all cutting grapes and bananas and pizza for l.c. and b.g. and I looked up at Jay and thought, "This is the pay off."
All the hard work that goes into raising a kid, all the doubts and dumbness, and things you wish you could do over, the things you know you totally blew, and at the time, you just don't know what the heck you're doing.
And yet here we are, with adults now--superb, conscientious adults who invite us over for pizza and have brought us really darling grandchildren, and whose company I enjoy as much or more than any friend I've ever had.
This truth gets forgotten: We will spend more years with out kids as adults than we did raising them.
My own great-grandma was twenty when my grandma was born. Great-grandma lived to be about 95. So she had 55 years of Grandma's adult company to enjoy. Not too bad of a deal, I have to say.
Happy Birthday, Valentine Baby. We love you like crazy. The whole family is better with you in it. love, Grandma and Grandpa
Indoor playground! That sounds about perfect right now. My kids need to RUN and bounce off walls that are not my own. :0)
ReplyDeleteI love all your birthday tributes to your children and I feel a bit like I'm eavesdropping by reading and then commenting on them. But I feel compelled to comment because your words always touch me and make me look at my own kids all mommy-sappy-eyed and that is a verygoodthing in February. xo
Oh yeah, all those feelings are totally universal. I'm glad for your friendship. love, Val
ReplyDeletethis has me sobbing!Love you so much! R. xoxo
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