Grand Rapids

I will explain my silence yesterday. On Friday, while John and Kim were still here, the Fed Ex truck pulled into the driveway. I knew what he had but everyone else was somewhat in doubt and anticipation. The guy brought in three fairly good sized boxes. Finally, my husband said, "I think these are for you, Gayle". Hmmmm, I already knew that. THE BOOK HAD ARRIVED! Now then, I became nervous, what if I opened the boxes and found I was disappointed? I was in the process of heating a hundred different little containers of Thanksgiving dinner left overs to feed the hungry bunch for lunch. I continued my activity much to the consternation of my family. "Come on, Mom, open the boxes!" I told them when I got them at the table and eating, I would slip away and open a box and take a look and that is just what I did. I was actually quite pleased. I felt like just bawling. Five years of thought and plan and gathering. Five years or more of dreaming that this could become a reality. Here it was in my hot little hand. I was moved. And grateful.

After the kids left for home, I gathered a few books together and began my deliveries. I brought some to my uncle and aunt and also to my dad. We had decided that each first and second generation member would be given one. My father's only sister asked that I wait until Sunday (today) to deliver hers as she wants to present them at Christmas to her family and she still had family home for the Thanksgiving holiday.

After sleeping on it overnight, I woke in the morning with a committed thought. It was to be a beautiful day for travel and we should just climb in the car and head for Grand Rapids to my cousin (the one who has been so helpful this last year). I presented my thought to Ken and after a few minutes of consideration, he said he thought that would work. So without any adieu, we called Nancy and Paul to make sure they were home and then left. It WAS a beautiful day to travel. The sun poured into my side of the car and allowed me to bask in its warmth. Twas a wonderful ride.

When we arrived, Nancy poured over the book exclaiming that the pictures are sharper than they were on our computer. She was pleased that the formatting was the way we wanted it to be. It was all good. We celebrated a victory.

Paul's mother and her sister live in the same retirement center. Paul's mom's sister is my aunt on my mother's side and Paul's mom is my aunt on my father's side so we suggested that we would like to see the two of them and asked if they could direct us to their place of residency. Nan had other ideas, she decided they would take us there. Paul came up with the idea that the six of us go to Russ's for supper/dinner. It all worked out so nice. The aunts were surprised and delighted for the visit and it was special for me to see them both as well. I could just feel the love that grew in me for them over my growing up years as I sat at the table and visited. They are both in their eighties and apparantly quite healthy. They were full of good spirit and we enjoyed laughing often.

It was a very good day. We arrived home around nine thirty.