Children's children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children. ~Proverbs 17:6
Can you guess what our last stop will be on our family reunion tour? If you said my daughter, Sarah, her husband, John, and the three grandchildren, you are spot on!
Sadly, this photo is not taken during our visit, but a week later. As fate would have it, both Savannah and Alexandra come down with respiratory viruses the weekend we are there in Raleigh, North Carolina. Yes, we did see them briefly, but couldn't afford to get to close, as we certainly can't afford to get sick along the last leg of our journey.
The upside of all this? We have Virginia pretty much to ourselves!
Here's the shirt we get for Virginia as we pass through that state.
She loves it and is happy to model it at our hotel.
Waiting to order food at Longhorn's. Turns out this was NOT a great experience, but the poor service and delay in food service earned us a free dessert.
Playing backgammon! Needless to say, we did lots of that. Virginia is a ruthless player :).
We did hang out at the hotel for the most part, although we did visit an outdoor mall where I took Virginia into a Michael's. She was in craft heaven! We did buy her some modeling clay as she's been wanting to experiment with that medium.
How we love our little big girl!
We are so hoping to see everyone again over Christmas break, but that all depends on how much time John and Sarah can take off work. If that doesn't pan out, we will aim for spring break. Our weekly FaceTime chats will have to hold us over until then.
Is it just me, or does it seem to anyone else, that the older we get, the more time seems to fly by before we can fully savor each moment? That's how this last family weekend feels to me. And as we leave Raleigh in the rear-view mirror, I once again find myself wishing with all my heart that we all lived closer together.
But, at the same time, I'm full to overflowing with gratitude for the safe journey we've had, and for every memory we've made together.
Amen!
It's good to have time with the family. Savour every moment. Yes, time seems to fly so fast these days.
ReplyDeleteI was never good at backgammon. You have to think ahead a few moves before you play them. I can't do that because I have a short attention span and sometimes I stop thinking when ... ... ...
Forgot what I was saying!
God bless you and your family always.
Backgammon is a complex game to learn, and even if you learn all the moves and possibilities of play, if the dice don't roll in your favor, you really can't hope to win except by a fluke. I'm proud of how quickly Virginia learned the game and still enjoys playing with her Gammie and Papa.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Looking into the rear view mirror. We do that way too often ourselves. And each time we wish we lived closer, but that is not to be. So glad you had that time with Virginia though. She is sure growing up!! I keep telling myself how much sweeter heaven will be when we see each other and there is no more parting. I'm so glad you and Danny had that time away.
ReplyDeleteI'm so grateful for the time God afforded us to go on this very long trip to be with family once again, Bill. Now it's time for Advent and preparing our hearts to receive Jesus once again. Keeping my hopes high for seeing all the grands over Christmas break!
DeleteLove and blessings!
Everyone's doing great, Glynn! They were able to travel to John's parents' home for Thanksgiving. That is doable for them as they live only three hours away. As much as I miss them all, it's so important that they get to know both sets of grandparents and their cousins.
ReplyDeleteLove and blessings!
Amen, on your observation about time flying!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad to hear you enjoyed a great visit ..... in spite of the little's RSV and poor dining experience. That seems so unlike Longhorn's, but I suppose in today's climate that can happen anywhere. Glad to hear they took ownership and tried to make amends.
PS - Virginia's becoming so sophisticated. Love the little head tilt!
Virginia is something else, Myra, and growing up way too fast. Yes, unusual for Longhorn, but the server was "in training" and there wasn't anyone observing him enough to help him be proficient. How many waiters have to be reminded that you are still waiting for a glass of wine? No matter, nothing could prevent us from making the best of this trip!
DeleteLove and blessings!
I'm so glad your trip was safe and memorable, Martha. I'm so with you - "the older we get, the more time seems to fly by before we can fully savor each moment." Love and blessings to you!
ReplyDeleteTime does fly way too fast, Trudy. Yes, we had a marvelous trip in October, one I will ever remember and cherish.
DeleteLove and blessings!
What a shame that two of your sweet girls were sick and couldn't enjoy your visit. I'm glad you had some quality time with Virginia. Praise God for safe travels and lots of memories made!! xo
ReplyDeleteI know, Terri; not seeing the little ones much was a shame, but it's not something we could help. Virginia enjoyed having her Gammie and Papa to herself, though. We have been joined at the hip ever since she was a toddler, so it was a joyful and fun reunion. Just hoping we can see them again over the Christmas break.
DeleteLove and blessings!
So glad you had that time with Virginia.
ReplyDeleteIt is always wonderful to be with family.
Yes, time flies by too quickly!
Hugs and blessings, Martha 💐
We are oh, so grateful for the time we enjoyed with Virginia, too, Veronica. She is one very special young lady!
DeleteLove and blessings!
Not sure why, but am overwhelmed with the concept of a "full circle" this morning. Can't wait to hear about your journey home, but oh how difficult it must be to leave those precious grandchildren. Alas, distance makes...
ReplyDeleteAfter leaving Raleigh, we had another uneventful two days of travel, J. D., so I've wound up the journey posts for now. Lots happening since we got home, and I will be sharing that soon. Yes, it was so hard to leave . . .
DeleteLove and blessings!
Thank God for the bright encouraging moments that He blesses us with in the midst of the systematic erosion of the nuclear family in this country. You have definitely been one of those faithful sources of uplifting encouragement, Martha, and I love the way you draw us into those heartwarming family experiences God blesses you with. Your mention of the phenomenon of time seeming to move faster brought an additional chuckle. I relate to that so well. Thank you for sharing another excursion and reminding us of how priceless times like that are.
ReplyDeleteTimes like these are infinitely priceless, Ron, and I'm so glad to know I'm not the only one for whom time moves too quickly. I'm gratified, too, that you have enjoyed coming along on this journey with me. And what you say here about family (nuclear) is so sad, but it's true. May we be the first to support all those who are having a tough time preserving theirs.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Where did my comment go—in your spam?
ReplyDeleteI just checked spam and didn't see your comment, Mariette. I have no idea what could have happened to it!
DeleteLove and blessings!
😏
DeleteOlá Martha
ReplyDeleteQue passeio maravilhoso, está com a família é um presente de Deus, um forte abraço.
I hear the longing in your voice when you speak about not being near your only grandson, Pamela, and missing some of the milestones in his life. Yes, he is pretty much a grown man at 23, but I'm sure he loves his grandparents whether they are near by or far away. Maybe, he'll move closer to you in the coming years. Anything is possible with God!
ReplyDeleteHas he set a date for the wedding?
Love and blessings!
Being with family is most definitely a gift from God, Lucinalva.
ReplyDeleteLove and blessings!
Dearest Martha Jane,
ReplyDeleteSo, attempting to re–write my comment...
You both certainly had the very best of the autumnal colors, while traveling!
Lovely to be able to visit family and spending precious time together.
No doubt your thoughts were with your son on October 27th.
Hugs,
Mariette
I'm glad you were finally able to post a comment, Mariette; thanks for being persistent! Yes, these were the best fall colors I've ever encountered, and October 27th will ever be a special day for me.
DeleteLove and blessings!
May everyone recover quickly, friend. This is a hard season for bugs and illnesses and stuff as we gather all around each other. I hope it won't be long til you can all be together!
ReplyDeleteThe girls did get over their respiratory issues in the beginning of the week, Linda. Good news! I think, because of Covid and school closings, children are more prone to get these types of illnesses now that they're all back in the classroom. Just a part of childhood, but I sure wish they could have chosen another time to get sick.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Martha, so sorry you couldn't be around the other girls but glad it worked out to see Virginia. You built memories for sure. Praying you get back to see the others on a break soon! Blessings!
ReplyDeleteOh, I certainly hope we can, Karen. But I thank the Lord for FaceTime that allows us to "see" one another when we call.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Perhaps the best part of delightful experiences is the pleasure of remembering them again and again, however often we wish. I've also enjoyed listening to the reminisces of our older granddaughters. It's fun to see what stands out in their memories! Here's praying that a family Christmas DOES happen, Martha!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for your prayers and well-wishes, Nancy! And it is so interesting to find out what our grands remember. Virginia gets a bit sad every time we mention something changing at our house; she wants to remember things just as they were when she was able to visit with us often. When we got rid of our old sofa where she took many a nap growing up, she begged us to save one of the pillows so she could, as she explained, "Remember my childhood couch." Of course, we did so, just for her.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Our son lives just 100 miles away from us. Because of Husband's health, we don't see him unless he comes up here. He was here the Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend. He will be here Christmas. Then, we don't see him until my birthday in March. Sometimes I wish he lived here or close to our town, so he maybe could help us with some things. But God knows best.
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