Forgive Grandma...She Must Indulge

I love being a mom...and I always have. I cherished my moments with my children, and it was hard to watch it go by so fast. But now comes part two...and really just as special. Love multiplied, new and beautiful...being a Grandma. Only problem, so far, they live too far away. So when I can experience moments such as these...I have to swim around in it, cover myself in it, and pour it over me, and over again. So, I am pulling you all along in this dive through my time with the grands.

Part of the fun is watching my hubby with the kids. We were married when the kids were teenagers, so I never raised any with him. Watching him does make me really wish we had the chance to raise a child together...but I shall revel in every moment such as these with the grands.

This trip was a little different. After flying out to Nebraska, hubby and I crawled into the bottom bunk and fell asleep to the little sounds of two boys sleeping above. Only to have the joy of waking up and seeing the joy spread across their face when they spotted Grandma emerge from the bottom bunk to greet them in the morning. It does me in every time!

Later that morning, we boarded the mini van for our trip across Nebraska and up into South Dakota. A little different from the trips I remember when my kids were little....two screens, dvds and the glorious pull-ups for potty training!!

First stop Chimney Rock! (Chimmy Wock if you ask DW)

Waking up to this every morning...priceless!

Seeing Mt. Rushmore for the first time was amazing. Experiencing it with my grandchildren, even better! Walking around there, thinking about history, listening to the ceremony with my military son beside me, it is not an emotion I can explain. I would have to say, one of my most patriotic moments, besides maybe my son's graduations from their bootcamps.

See these smiles....pure happiness and nothing but!

There is something about the combination of trains and little boys! They get all serious, quiet and beneath all that...SO EXCITED!

Seeing my son as husband and daddy....how much he loves it, how much he loves them, and how much they love him and how hard he works to do it well.  Makes me think....I did all right.

Ah yes...see that bump? Our newest little grandchild will be here soon. Our first grandaughter. Yes, the buying of pink has begun, and I doubt it will end!

Oh, and the scenery....Badlands, South Dakota. AMAZING!

And as always the time flies by and soon I have to get back on that airplane and leave all this sweet goodness. So that last morning I soak up all the stories, puzzles and pretend meals I can. I hug, cuddle, and kiss more than they want. And I hold back the tears and whisper goodbyes...until I can return. And until then, I dive and swim in these memories, and cover my heart in them.

Thanks for indulging me.