Whew!

Sitting here at my computer on Sunday evening following Thanksgiving week. My wife and I have laughed about this today, but after a great family week, both of us just are sitting down today and saying, Whew, what a week!

If you are grandparent – you know what I mean!

Don’t get me wrong here – there is not a single complaint in this blog. This was a great week! This week has consisted of a week visit from my daughter and her family (including my youngest granddaughter.) Grandkids and their parents have been here Tuesday through Saturday, and you know with five grandkids ages 18 months to 7 years, there was no lack of noise, laughing, and crying. We loved every minute of it.

Each day consisted of my wife and I making room on the floor again after a day of kids playing with toys and books (with the toys causing the most controversy quietly disappearing overnight.) Then the next day as the kids arrived again, more toys covered the floor. Again, not a complaint – it’s comical how these toys come out and how they get played with. One grandkid – no problem. Two grandkids – not much unless it is the two youngest ones who are still learning how to share. Three or more – pure joyful bedlam! It has really been fun watching the parents too. As their stress level increased, so did their children’s behavior. It really reminds me of one time at the local fair and we were watching the swine show. The ring was full of young swine exhibiters, they were chasing their pigs, the pigs were loud and it was pure pandemonium. Finally, the show judge yelled, everyone STOP. Immediately the kids stopped running, the pigs settled down, and everyone got back to a normal show. Now I am not saying that anyone in this house yelled stop and everyone settled down, but as the parents’ stress level increased, so did the kids noise level and behavior. It was comical!!!!

OK, I can already hear my daughters saying – well dad you have no room to talk, you did the same thing with us. Yep – they are right, but now as a grandparent I can laugh about it and enjoy it!

I have never read so many children’s books in one week in my life. My youngest grandson has a stack of books he likes me to read, and he brings them to me one by one, sits on my lap and we read books. Tractors and old ladies who like to swallow bats and turkeys are his favorites along with Silly Sally and anything pertaining to a farm.

This Thanksgiving our entire family with my wife and I the oldest generation sat down at the same table for the first time. How wonderful! We had a clay pigeon shooting match and I got to help my youngest grandson shoot a shot gun for the first time using the same gun my dad taught me on. That was special! My girls and their mother made candy all day on Friday with some grandkid help. There was more laughter in the home than there has been for a long, long time. It was wonderful.

Now Sunday evening. The girls are at their homes. My daughter from South Carolina just texted and let us know they were back. The house is back in order. The grocery pantry is again stocked. The Mountaineers are going to a bowl game. The basketball team won another one. The Steelers stunk the field up again.

AND my wife and I can simply sit down and go WHEW!

Happy Holidays Everyone!!!!