Grandmas and Grandpas

I have had lunch in the homes of both sets of my grandparents in the past week. I feel it's such a blessing to still have all of them here with me. I was so fortunate to have a very happy childhood and their homes and their presence was very much a part of that. It's fun for me not to just tell Danilo and Grace what my grandparents were like, they are sitting right next to me experiencing it too.

With my Grandma Parke on her 70th birthday

 Yesterday we were at my Grandma and Grandpa Achter's to hike the trail to a waterfall you can access about an hour from their backyard. For the first time in my life my 82 year old grandpa said he'd love to go but didn't think his health would allow it that day. Instead, he hiked with us about nine or ten minutes to drop us off at the main trail. With a twinkle in his eye my grandpa told us to enjoy our youth while we still have bounce in our step. I say he said it with a twinkle in his eye because there was not a hint of regret in his voice. Really what he was saying was, I encourage you to enjoy life to the extent that I have.

After we returned from the waterfall, we had the kind of lunch that is characteristic to my grandparents' house... carrot and raisin salad, potato salad, tuna fish and celery sandwiches, and pumpkin cookies for dessert. The kind of lunch that used to make me sigh inside and wonder, where's the macaroni and cheese? Now that my taste buds and I have grown up, it's the kind of lunch that I love because of the way it takes me back to my childhood in one bite. I forgot the brown cow. I don't know if anyone else calls root beer and milk poured in the same glass a brown cow, but my grandpa always has.

When I turned out the light last night, I thought about the couple hours spent at my grandparents' home and thought, I think that was important. I wanted to remember it.

Going up to the waterfall with my Grandpa Achter, Memorial Day 2007

I know I am fortunate and that sometimes other factors come into play, but I'm thankful for the way both my mom's and my dad's parents have taken good care of themselves so that my new little family has been able to enjoy them too.