Touching Base

I had purposely carved out some time around Easter to visit my number three son, his wife, and baby. I had seen them in the fall and at Christmas, but new babies grow so fast. While I didn't want to stray too far from my responsibilities at this crucial juncture in the church year, I felt compelled to have a bit of face to face time.
Friday I had a commitment to paint the school and attend an Easter production. Sunday I had choir and the ultimate service of the year in the morning and a quiet community celebration in the evening. But I saved Saturday from intrusion even though several times opportunity knock for that day.
Other years it has seemed less important to see family, but this year, given what may lie ahead, it was at the top of my priority list. We left Rochester early in the morning and arrived before noon. We pulled into the street by their trailer just as another grandparent was leaving. I was excited as we parked to see my little munchkin.
I remember so well when my own Grandmother came to visit us when I was a kid - I would sit for hours with my nose pressed against the windows in the parlor, my breath fogging the glass, straining for a glimpse of Gramp's red pickup truck which I knew would be laden with all sorts of goodies, food and otherwise.
Of course, 8 months old is too young for that sort of thing, but I wanted to shower them with blessings as my Gram did to me. I had brought a few little things in hand. My daughter-in-law had recently redecorated, and the place looked wonderful - fresh and bright and cozy. We hugged and chatted and ooo'ed over the new kittens for a bit.
Then we did what all generations of family have done for years - we went shopping. What fun it is to explore all the new merchandise and see things through the eyes of someone you love! You get to know their preferences for colors and styles a bit, what captures their interest, what they pass by quickly.

It was a whirlwind trip, and soon we settled down to have a late lunch. The baby gobbled his little jar of mush and zonked out in Kiel's arms as the rest of us chattered and laughed and told stories. Too soon it was time to say good-bye. Too soon I hugged my sweeties and climbed back in the car for the long ride back to Rochester.
My body these days can't tolerate as much as I would like it to. My feet were swollen and painful, my side hurt, and the lymph glands in my lower abdomen were definitely not happy with me. I was grateful that Kiel drove. I climbed into the back seat, curled up in a ball, and tried to rest. Just being in a prone position helped. Sure hope they can fix this stuff soon. It was worth it though. There's nothing quite like hugging a baby!