To Grandma and Grandpa’s House We Go!

Were we happy to get here! Seeing Grandma and Grandpa for the first time in a year and a half was so surreal and we have been having such a great time. The first day we just kind of relaxed so that we could get the kids (especially Ben) back on schedule. Keely was pretty entertained by the missionary office staff. All you have to do is walk right out grandma and grandpa’s front door to the office and Keely went to introduce herself early in the day. She was more than happy to help grandma make cookies and take them over to the Elders and to the missionary couple in the office and asked if she could go over to the office about 20 times that day. One time when we were heading to the park she said, “I should really go tell the people in the office where we are going, but I’ll let them know that they probably can’t come because they have too much work to do!” Sister Kirk, who also works in the office very quickly became Ben’s favorite by feeding him chocolate and carrying him around for about an hour pointing at birds and plants. We could use that kind of babysitting all the time!

The kids have both warmed up to grandma and grandpa quickly and in fact Keely paid grandma the ultimate compliment. If you know Keely well you know she’s got a very exclusive circle and about half the time I’m the only one in it. Well, after the first day when I went to put Keely to bed she said, “Mom, tell grandma that if she wants to put me to bed one night that would be all right.” If you don’t know Keely this may not seem like a big deal, if you do know Keely you know how special this makes grandma feel; I was actually shocked that she’d make such an allowance – that’s true love!

Any child who’s met Grandpa Bob has heard his famous “giant jelly bean” stories. Well, this was another highlight of Keely’s day. She and Shawn went outside and drew giant jelly beans all over grandma and grandpa’s driveway and then came in and listened to the giant jelly bean creator himself fill her with all kinds of new GJB tales. It’s so good to be here!