The Joy of Family, Part One:

It's Grandma Time!

This Thanksgiving was one of the most joyous I've had in recent years. The reason? I had a great big dose of family this year. It was "Grandma Time" in large doses, not just for me but for my children. Here's the picture:

On Thursday my middle daughter's older son brought his SUV-full of two step-daughters (one teen and one emerging-teen) and a 2 1/2-year-old son. Little Justin ran in the front door and right to the den where I keep my toy box and his favorite Fischer-Price thing. If you punch the levers, WOW, the animals pop out of their little boxes and then you get to push them back in again! Didn't last long. He ran back in the den and returned with a construction hat on and a bunch of blocks with a container to fill. After that the blocks got stacked three or four times and then he "drove" the toy Ice Cream truck around on my coffee table (Yes, I put a protective cover on it), filling and and emptying the truck with--you guessed it--blocks. And then he-- Well, you get the idea. Who cares about Thanksgiving food when there are toys to play with? That isn't just Justin speaking. I wasn't that hungry, either. The teens did their own thing, the one who is a special needs child taking on the mass coloring project she always loves to do so well when at my house, and the other playing games on my daughter's I-Tune. Oh, yes, there was a bit of time for the grown-ups along the way, too. Not much, but enough.

Saturday saw us visiting the family of another daughter in Fort Atkinson. Both of her adult children and one grandchild were there. My eldest daughter turns into a munchkin, whenever her grandchild (her first) is around. I enjoy watching her as much as the granddaughter. Every fifteen minutes or so she brought out another "toy box", carefully stuffing the old box as little Asha began pulling apart the new. I don't know who is funnier, or more precious. 'Nough said. On Sunday, at a company party, my son shared with us the antics of his step-son's and daughter's children, whom he had just returned from visiting in Nevada for Thanksgiving week.

Lots of family. I think because the children change so much from year to year, we especially enjoy watching them grow and develop year after year, hopefully into loving and responsible adults. And then, hopefully, we watch their children grow year after year and become responsible adults, if God gives us the longevity. Family, if it fulfills its role of nurturing one another, brings us some of the greatest, most satisfying moments in life. Healthy family life shows us brilliantly that the best things in life are free. That though free, they are at the same time priceless. You can't buy love. Or emotional support in difficult situations. Or just knowing, "They'll always be there for me."

Loving my family, endlessly,
Margaret

NOTE: Joy doesn't always happen, even in happy, supportive families. See this coming Friday's post, December 3rd, for a follow-up.