Parenthood

We had a little family gathering planned that night, so we called on our way home from Zion to give Uncle Neal the OK to order the pizza and alert the local family so they could convene at Grandma's. The St. George area has the highest concentration of family for me...with grandparents, mom, asst. aunts, uncles and cousins. It's a pretty sweet place.


Speaking of cousins...these two are second cousins. Dax and Evey. Evey was really digging Dax. They are only days apart. Ten, I believe. Who would guess?


I think my grandparents were in heaven with so many of their progeny around them.



It was noisy...



Full of laughter and assorted conversations...



Sometimes involving everyone...



Sometimes several smaller ones going on at the same time.



I found myself wanting to hear everything that was going on as not to miss any of it.



Then I got this glimpse of my grandparents...and it took my breath away...



I just kept watching them...watching their smiles, the occasional squeeze of each others' hands...watching them take in everything that was going on around them. They seemed to take such joy in just watching all of us interact. And I envied them. Yes, their bodies are starting to fail them. They don't have the energy they once did...but oh, what a legacy they have. Sixty-five years of being madly in love. Sixty-five years of being goodly parents...and grandparents...and on and on. Has it been a bed of roses? They've buried a child...one of six...in her twenties, who died after having given birth to her third child in four years...and then several years later, had to bury one of that daughter's children who died an accidental death as a teen. They've watched their children and grandchildren hurt, from divorce, infant death, health troubles, mistreatment and other struggles. They've endured financial hardship, betrayal...the list goes on. But all of that, I'm sure pales in comparison to the good stuff. Here I was, watching them savor "the good stuff." It reminded me of the movie, Parenthood, with Steve Martin...like the scene when his grandmother compares life to a rollercoaster...or in the end, in the hospital waiting room, when he finally gets the analogy. There is so much truth to it. Some days, as tempting as the merry-go-round may seem...I wouldn't trade away the thrill of the rollercoaster. I was grateful to my grandparents this night, for that reminder. I love them so much.



Stay tuned for another several decades...it's bound to get exciting! ;^)