Memories Made

The memories were made before we even left New England, on our way to Florida. It started with the littlest traveler throwing-up or in our house we call it 'ekuping' in the back seat of the rental car right about New York area. We figured it to be the activities of drawing and reading so thus began the allowance of many movies watched on our trip. Thank you Grandpa G.G. and Grammy Nome for that wonderful gift years ago.

After being up from 6am to 10pm, then taking a nap for about an hour... Skylar went from this, at the hotel room at 12 in the morning...

To this...

Slept for 5 hours and was ready for more.

For some reason the GPS kept rerouting us around certain areas. At first we questioned it but still followed our dependant 'Sheila' to where ever she asked us. This was a sweet surprise as we wondered why she sent us through downtown Baltimore. Though we are die hard RED SOX fans, it was a treat to drive right through the parking area for this stadium. Bet you can't guess why...

One of the most evident blessings, that I seemed to take for granted before our trip, was this little girl. She was such a cheerful traveler. She was so well behaved and willing to hang out with us girls. She only made a peep when we cut her off from twizzlers after she had thrown them up. This was her the night we got in to my grandparents'. She was thrilled to go swimming every day, including the day we got there. It was so nice to be able to lay next to her each night and read a story, uninterrupted. She was so eager to hear more. I had to stop her from reading on without me some nights. Nana, Skylar and I went right down to the mail to deliver the boys their package.
Our days were filled with little things. One day was BINGO day. We brought everyone along for a rousing game of BINGO. Despite the fact that Skylar was not old enough to play the cards, she still walked out with more winnings than the rest of us put together. (My grandpa gave her a quarter each time she got BINGO on the card I made for her. What a math lesson. She has been able to count to 100 for about a year now. But to recognize the number, locate it and mark it off before the man called the next number was fun for her.)

This was her finding something to do before the game. How nice that she is enjoying herself in looking at the beauty of cool colored rocks.

Nana and Skylar found some generous people who were willing to share some of their bread to feed the fish and turtles.

One of my favorite pictures is my grandma tickling Skylar on the couch. Now grandma, you are not supposed to be leaning over with that back brace. But such fun you both had. Just don't let her catch you eating ice cream on the couch, no matter what she said to you the night before. My grandpa kept sharing with other residents about how he was 'stuck' with 4 generations of girls. I know he loved it. I was so excited to be able to go down there and relieve him from some of the stresses he has been under with my grandma's ailing health. He was so thankful to have someone else to share his life with. We sure kept him busy, from endless trips to the store to spotting a leak in his roof during one of the evening rain storms. I am not sure which drove him more nuts, us or my grandmother. Ha...

He is such a devoted husband and is a sign of true love to her. He has been through much and knows that the hardest parts are yet to come. Yet he still has that love in his eyes and reminds you that he chose her and has such a passion in his voice when he tells of the story of how they met in Germany when he was in the service and she was serving his coffee in the diner. He picked her out and said, "I'm gonna marry her." And sure enough he did.

Kind of funny to imagine that spending a little under a week at a senior retirement community could make me miss my husband but it makes me joyful to imagine what we have to look forward to as the Lord keeps us growing together.

So we took our last walk down 'Bunny Lane' and headed home.

This was the last night before heading home. The times spent together were well spent but sometimes you just know when it is time to venture home again.

"The Lord did not set His affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the Lord loved you and kept the oath he swore to your forefathers that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery...Know therefore, that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands."

Deuteronomy 7:7-9