On the road again….

When God speaks, I listen. 

When God speaks and I’m on pain meds, I listen and put the thoughts aside.   If they come back when I’m not on pain meds, I MIGHT listen.

When God says I need to plan a family trip to see the in-laws, while I’m on pain meds….

First I ignored.  Then I laughed.  Then I waited for Grant to tell me he wanted to go/was inspired.   Nothing.  Weeks went by.  Then I told Grant.  His first response, “What time did you last take your pain meds?  How many pills?”

 

 

Grant and his mom (1975)

yes.   it does look like Mark.  Guess we don’t have to take a paternity test after all.

 

Really.  He thought I must be completely high to suggest that we visit HIS family.   Why else would anyone visit their in-laws?  (Grant, you better hope no one in your family reads this!)

But God persisted.   So we made plans.  Then we found out what God already knew.  We needed to visit. 

  

“Grant wants to be just like his Dad”   Nov 1976

Now God gets to laugh, because if I had listened the first time, I would have been able to book the nice hotel in town for us.    Now they are full, so we the only other hotel in town.   It’s a nice 2 bedroom room with a kitchenette, and mice and holes in the linens.   I can only assume lots of dust and mold too.     Hearsay suggests that an Aunt, who has even stayed in Malaysia with rocks over snake filled drains, never wants to stay there again. 

With 4 kids, we don’t fit at the house anymore.  With a husband who insists the inside temperature is below 70 in the summer, no one wants to share a house with him.  (Not to self, pack electric blanket).

IN RETURN, we get

Memories.  Good memories.  My older two will remember this trip.  They get to see their GREAT grandparents, still alive, still married, still living in their home.   I don’t know how much longer those will all be true!    Alex is the baby who turned them into Great-grandparents.   Alex LOVES the war stories, the farm animals.  Alex listen’s to Granddad’s book suggestions.  When he got to book 5 in the Artimus Fowl series, that Granddad told him about, #6 and #7 came in the mail. 

31 years ago this weekend! Grant’s Granddad’s house (the same one, same place we’ll go,)

L-R:  Grant, Susan, Jack, and cousin????  with Granddad reading.

Alice and Jack get to meet Mark.   Happy, walking, babbling Mark.    Aunts, uncles and cousins get to meet Mark also. 

We get to see Aunts and Uncles, and cousins….luck would have it that we all get to meet the newest, baby Olivia.  I want my turn when she’s asleep.  Yummy…. 6 month old sleeping baby…

Uncle Kurt gets to see how much his “princess” has grown.  In size and attitude!  Hopefully he fills his pockets with dollar store jewelry and candy, since Kate can’t remember the last visit.  Kate cried for everyone but mom or Uncle Kurt.  She would fall asleep in his arms. 

Next important is Grant’s parents, and  most important is Grant.  Hopefully this will give them both some rejuvenation of heart.   Heaven knows we all sure need much rejuvenation after this past year. 

  Year….wow, it will be a year this memorial day weekend that we’ve had full time nannies.   Glad for the help, really glad.  Sucks for the reason.  That’s one crappy year.    Speaking of bad things, I’ll leave you with this photo of toddler Grant and his big brother.  

 

 Jack and Grant ready for church (1976)

  Gotta love the blue…um…  ?Jumper?  Pants Suit?  Overalls?  on Grant.  Super classy!