Surprise, Surprise, Surprise

It's been a few weeks since my daughter and her two children have moved in with us while her husband is training to become a deep sea diver. I must confess that I thought I had this grandparenting thing down pat. After all, I've been one now for four years and have felt pretty good about the job I thought I was doing.

I was wrong.

My grandson Noah has proved to be quite skillful at pointing out just how much I miss the mark. He has sized up my weak points quickly and efficiently, and attempts to use them (in his own sweet and very charming way) to his advantage when I am not aware. Fortunately, my daughter Rachel sees right through this and prevents him from capitalizing on my inconsistencies or weariness.

I have also discovered that I just don't have the same level of tolerance for crying as I used to have. Chloe pointed that out to me last week. And I feel very, very badly about this.

One wonderful aspect of them living with us is that I can see first-hand just how incredibly competent Rachel is as a mother. She is light years ahead of where I was at her age. She reminds me so much of her mother.

Another wonderful surprise is learning just how funny and intelligent Noah is. I enjoy his company tremendously and am amazed daily at his capacity to learn. And our little Chloe has one of the most engaging smiles I have ever seen in a baby. She smiles and laughs with all of her heart. And I melt every time she does.

I am surprised at how well the children have adjusted to being moved across the ocean to live in a completely different world without their father present. I am painfully aware at what a poor substitute I am for Michal.

I am not surprised at how well Rachel has done. She is a fighter and a survivor like her mother. And, like her mother, she is very gracious about having to survive and adjust. Her children's happiness and well-being have not skipped a beat.

I am surprised by the constant joys that come my way by having them all here. I get to make up for some of the time they were gone. I get to share relaxing cups of coffee with Rachel while we chat about the latest charming demonstration by Noah, the latest diving adventures of Michal, the newest trick by Chloe, or the latest surprising elimination from the many reality shows that I must admit make up some of my summer fun.

Children are wonderful. They are full of surprises that we do not expect and are not always prepared to face. That is the wonder of children.

Changes....

I know it has been over a month since I have posted a blog entry. The month of June was a blur. In one month, my wife and I flew to London, Barcelona, Spain, Salzburg, Austria, back to London, and then finally back to North Carolina. Whew! I got tired just typing that. Our daughter, Rachel and her children have moved back to the States with us while Michal is in training to become a professional deep sea diver. My mind is spinning with the memories of the spectacular views of the Alps, the amazing and dazzling city of Barcelona, the beautiful shores of the Mediterranean Sea, the exciting and bustling West End of London, and the most INCREDIBLE sight of all: the beautiful, smiling and trusting faces of our grandchildren, Noah and Chloe.

Knowing that they live in the same house with me after two years of being an ocean away is more than I can take. Knowing that they can spend time with their cousins Braydon and Makenna is so fulfilling. Noah and Braydon have already become inseperable. Spending time with Noah as we play space ship in our makeship tent , have "carpet time" to read books he selects, or race his coches (cars) means the world to me. Each minute with him is a gift beyond measure and description. Seeing my beautiful red-haired granddaughter beam at me with her beautiful blue eyes brings me to tears at times. Our house is alive again with the sounds of preschool joys and infant discoveries, with early morning breakfasts, summer runs through the water sprinkler to make "muddy puddles", special trips to the store to pick up special treats for obedient little boys, the sound of a lively seven-month old jumping vigorously in her exersaucer, screams of laughter during bath time as Poppa creates water falls over Noah, sweetly-voiced pleas to come upstairs to "play together" (how could anyone ever turn this down?), and so many more blessings. I have discovered just how wonderfully exhausting chasing after them can be.

But I wouldn't trade a second of it for anything. Because I realize that the day will come only too soon when Rachel and Michal will move into their own home again and part of my heart will die again as I watch them all move on again....So for right now I will hold them every second I can and enjoy the gifts they freely give!

His and Hers

In your twenties, it's matching T-shirts on your honeymoon.....

In your thirties, it's matching towels for your master bathroom....

In your forties, it's matching digital cameras for your

silver anniversary trip....

In your fifties, however, it's....

His...

and Hers....

....HEATING PADS WHILE YOU WATCH WHEEL OF FORTUNE AND HGTV!

Tech Envy

Inspired by my daughter Rachel's recent blog entitled "Blog Envy", I thought I would write about a condition commonly shared by most of the people in my generation: tech envy. Yes, that's the dreaded condition where trying for 45 minutes to program the VCR leaves one dazed and babbling incoherently to one's self. When trying to answer my cell phone without experiencing PTCPD (Post Traumatic Cell Phone Disorder) summons every bit of will power. I tend to panic when my cell phone rings for fear that I will not be able to answer the call in time. The buttons on my cell phone are small and difficult to master quickly for me. Sometimes I spazz and miss a call because of the lack of response time and feel like the world is going to come to a screeching halt just because I missed The Important Call (even though I do realize that I can simply scroll down and highlight the number I just missed and call it back). And don't EVEN get me started about the computer....My daughters and son-in-laws (and probably grandchildren!) fly around the computer like a NASA-launched rocket while I still look for the part of the mouse required to get my screen to come back up....The list is endless. I will spare you the dreaded "Back in my day" rehash of three-channel, manually operated televisions and eight-tracks. I will just privately reflect in the glory of the mastery I had of these technologies (which, unfairly, didn't seem to boggle OUR parents) and hope that SOMEDAY, SOMEWHERE, I will be able to take steps closer to being "tech- savvy". That will probably happen the day my hair grows back and gas returns to a reasonable price....

To My Best Boys

My Best Boys: Braydon (above), Noah (below)

Today, we celebrated my oldest grandson's 4th birthday at a local park. We had family (Christy, Kenney, Braydon, Makenna, Aunt Laura, Aprille, Alex, Ella Bella and Nate) and several friends from Braydon's Preschool Class join our celebration. We had beautiful weather and a scenery to enjoy our party.

I often will refer to Braydon and my Noah, my other grandson, as my "Best Boy". These two little guys are the apples of my eye. They are lights in this dark world, and are the source of tremendous pride and joy to me. Soon, my other Best Boy will come and stay with us for a while. The thought of having him back here is tremendous! Then I will have both of my Best Boys near me!

Only in the South!

Yes, that's right. As if NASCAR, grits, pig pickins, and mullets weren't enough, now our lives in Dixie are now thoroughly complete. We now have JUST the right kind of soft drink....

I'm Back.....

I know it has been quite a while since I have added a new post. As most of you know, my time and attention has been focused on helping my wife deal with her major surgery and possible cancer diagnosis, which wonderfully is NOT the case. She is on the slow road to recovery, but at least she is on the right road!

Some other cheers and a few jeers to share:

:) I recently began a texting frenzy with a good friend of mine from Canandaigua, New York, who has the same distorted sense of humor that I have. We have shared some bizarre and twisted texts, the contents of which are best kept to myself. This has been fun!

:) I am currently working on creating the scenery for a production of THE PAJAMA GAME at a theater in Virginia where my brother Joe is currently acting. It has been a lot of fun to meet new people and to work on something that makes me soooo happy!

:( I had to reluctantly write a check to Uncle Sam for my 2008 taxes- grrrrrrr that so much of my hard-earned money is stolen from me and freely given to support the same people who abuse me in my classes and who make my life miserable. This stinks!

:) I am SO THANKFUL for my daughter Christy's faithful care of my wife during her illness, surgery, and recovery. My son-in-law has been very supportive, as well!

:) I have enjoyed spending time with my grandchildren Braydon and Makenna here in Rocky Mount, and spending time via the wonders of the web cam with my grandchildren Noah and Chloe in the UK (and of course, their wonderful mother, Rachel!) Good times with grandkids!

:) My niece Aprille and her husband Alex, who took time out of their lives to feed me lasagna (YUMMY!) and to bring a beautiful plant to the hospital while we were up in Chapel Hill. They are a precious and giving couple who make the world a better place!

:) The incredible and generous friends from our church, who have showed tremendous love and kindness to us during Janice's illness.

:) Our gracious neighbors, who have also showed great kindness to us during Janice's recovery!

:( The price of gas...GRRRRRRRRRRRR!

:) My weekly dose of the reality shows I indulge myself with: American Idol, Top Model, Top Chef. Ah, the joys of self-indulging!

:) My sister Laura, who drove 1 1/2 hours last weekend to come and stay with Janice last weekend so that I could keep my commitment to the theater in Virginia. Laura served us both like we were royalty. I am humbled to know someone like her. Her husband, Jim, graciously allowed her to leave him for the weekend to come to us to help. Wow!

:) The joy of blogging!

Hopefully I will be better at posting on a more regular basis. Talk to you soon!