One wonderful week…

I arrived in the Dallas-Fort Worth airport on April 20th after an uneventful two hour direct flight from Des Moines (the best kind of flight).   My son, his sweet wife and my beautiful nineteen month old granddaughter were there to meet me.  I had not seen them since Thanksgiving and the changes in my granddaughter were apparent.  Children grow so fast!

The week flew by.  We took advantage of the time and crammed a lot into it!  There was a block party that first weekend with grilled hot dogs, music and all the goodies.  There was also a blow-up-jump-tent which my granddaughter loved!  Unfortunately, once too many “really big kids” got in, it was time for her to get out according to her protective dad and I agreed!  She wasn’t too happy about getting out though.

Over the week, there was lots of time to:  go to library preschool story hour, play together, visit a park (which she loved), go out to eat a few times, enjoy my daughter-in-love’s great cooking, play with my granddog Bernie (who, we decided, is a Jack-Chi…1/2 Jack Russell 1/2 Chihauhau), read books to my granddaughter, shop at Ikea, shop at a terrific book store, babysit & give them a night out, visit an Etsy Crafts Fair and watch my son’s great morning television show which I cannot see here in Iowa.   It was also fun seeing the large home they will be moving into at the end of May.  Their family will be expanding in August when my new little granddaughter arrives.  They will love all that extra space in the new house which includes a wonderful playroom!

All too soon, seven days passed and it was time to drive me to the airport.  My granddaughter fell asleep on the way there.  I reached over and kissed her lightly goodbye, not wanting to awaken her.  It was sad to leave them.  My son and daughter-in-love emailed to say that it was sad when she woke up – wondering where Grandmommy was and reaching over for me.  Of course, I cried when I heard that.  I miss her so much already.

I’ve said before, that in a perfect world, all my children and grandchildren would be no more than two hours from me.  Apparently, according to my son, I have given them “roots and wings”.  I’m glad for that but, evidently, that meants that they are to be scattered, living happily ever after…fulfilling their destinies.

…but I still miss them all.

I love her adorable profile and her windblown hair!  She has lots of barrettes but doesn’t like to keep them in her hair!

Above:  crunching her munchies and watching Bernie play with the other little dogs at the dogpark!

She wasn’t too sure that she wanted to slide, so her Mom took her on her lap.