goodbyes

Grammy and Poppy came into town last Thursday to help celebrate Julia's birthday. Knowing that Julia is an exceptionally shy child, Lynne held little hope that her two year old granddaughter would warm quickly, if at all, during her stay. Well times have changed. Julia has grown, and she turned on her charm, normally reserved for mama and dada, to win Grammy and Poppy's hearts. She chatted them up, and when their attentions were diverted, she danced circles around them. She hugged, and she kissed and told them, "I lub you."

One of the many wonders of parenting is watching your child bask in the love of a grandparent. No one told me how special it would feel to watch my parents or Craig's parents love my children. Grace and Julia don't understand what a gift this is--to have adoring grandparents. They know only the tactile sense of being loved, of being enveloped in an embrace, of having every little part of their being cherished. Not all children are so lucky.

In a testament to Julia's newfound appreciation for her grandparents, she screamed so loud when I dropped Dan and Lynne at the Groome Station this morning that I had to park the van, get the girls out, and stand in the sun waving at the shuttle until it departed. As I walked back to our van, Julia nuzzled her head into my shoulder and said, "I sad."

Thanks Grammy and Poppy for making the trip South and for loving the girls, as Grace would say, too much.