Thank you, Brad & Catie!

I would like to say a MILLION thanks to my dear nephew and his wife for so generously and selflessly sharing with me the most precious and beloved thing in their life, their darling son. You will never know how much it meant to me and to my husband that you allowed him to travel all those miles and to be apart from you for several days so that we could have the joy of spending some time with this dear child! I can’t imagine how much you must have missed him, because even though I rarely see him and naturally don’t have the same bond with him that you do, I missed him terribly from the moment he left. If humanly possible, I could spend every moment with him and never tire of it, he is SUCH a delight and a joy!!! He’s the cutest thing I have ever seen (I know, I said that about each of you nephews and niece, but I mean it every time!) and smart – oh, my goodness – he’s smart as a whip! I don’t know any other 2 year olds that would look at a pink beenie-baby with long legs and a big beak and say “I want the FLAMINGO!” instead of “pink birdie” or something like that! How many 2 year olds know what a flamingo is, for pete’s sake??? I keep the nursery once a month, the 2 year olds, and we routinely have an average of 25 2-year-olds in our room, and NONE of them talk nearly as good as little J. His vocabulary is stunning!!! We had a big, bad, scary thunderstorm one night, complete with pounding rain, thumder, lightning and hail and he said “hear that rain?” and then “but we are SAFE IN THE HOUSE!” :) We took him into “big church” with us on Sunday morning and he sat there and behaved like he knew exactly what was going on and knew that he was supposed to be quiet! For over an hour!!! He wiggled a little bit, got up and down off the seat a few times, but kept quiet as a churchmouse! It was amazing! Once the preacher clapped his hands, so he clapped his hands too! I have some pictures and video from the trip and I haven’t put them on my computer yet but will do so tomorrow and then I will include some on here.

Don’t know how to post the video clips but maybe I’ll figure it out. Anyway, my point wasn’t to brag about how awesome this kid is (although he is) my point was to thank the parents for “letting go” enough to SHARE him with others who love him. You will never know what that means to us! Well, maybe you will .... when your kids have kids ... then you might. If they generously and lovingly let them spend time with you, spend the nights with you or even the weekends, go on little trips with you and generally share in their lives, you will know that great pleasure and joy. If they don’t, you will know the sadness that comes from not being able to be a real integral part of their lives. I pray that doesn’t happen! Everyone loses – the children, the grandparents, the aunts, the uncles. I can’t imagine not having the memories I have of spending many, many nights with Nanny and Granddaddy, taking vacations with them, arguing over whose turn it was to spend the night, etc. We loved it. They loved it. Memories can’t be made if time can’t be spent together. And a few hours here and there, once every few months, doesn’t build much of a relationship. And unless parents are willing to loosen the grip, realize that someone else is perfectly capable of safe-guarding their precious little ones, and actively assist in developing those family relationships and allow others to be a strong presence in their children’s lives, it won’t happen. I am speaking from personal experience. I have 7 grandchildren. But not the relationship we had hoped for. Distance is not the issue. Willingness is the issue. Foresight is the issue. Trusting is the issue. It never ceases to amaze me at the number of people who were raised by good, loving, reasonable, responsible, caring, intelligent parents who suddenly think those same folks are incapable of properly watching over a child. I really shouldn’t get started on that ‘can of worms’ so I’ll back up right here and now. Just rest assured, for those who do share their kids with me, that I would and will do anything within my power (and then some) to protect and love your child when they are in my care. The joy we received this past weekend, spending time with that adorable great-nephew is something that cannot be described in words. We are eternally grateful.