The Joy of Grandparents

We have been blessed this past year with the gift of local Grandparents. My husband's parents live just 20 minutes away. Now, for some families, the idea of in laws living 20 minutes away is maybe a thorn in the side or an awkward inconvenience. However, for our family, their close proximity is an absolute gift. My heart lights up when my mother-in-law calls and asks if they can come over with Thai food, or even better, her own home cooked Japanese wonders! Pop visits frequently for brown bag lunches and a quiet swing on the back porch. A babysitter is just a phone call away. We frequently escape our routine for a drive over to the homestead, and evening spent in "the garden", countless hours exploring the many tiny wonderful treasures that embellish Bachi's (Japanese for Grandmother) counters and cupboards. Recently the family home survived a few weeks worth of construction and the end result is a lovely tiled patio with French doors. We spent the whole evening with the doors wide open, soaking up the warm sunshine and the cooler night air blowing in. The Baby showed off his new crawling skills and The Boy picked through a box of old trains and matchbox cars from his father's boyhood. When it was time to pack up for home The Boy announced "No thank you, I'll stay here." This from a boy who 10 months ago had severe separation anxiety! My favorite part of time shared is when my boys crawl up into someones arms for a cuddle, a story, a tickle, or a love and I get to witness the bonding between Grandparent and babe. It's even better when I actually have the forethought to have camera in hand.