Helen and I are bi-coastal grandparents. Our two sons and their families live in California and South Carolina, which makes for complicated logistics when arranging family get-togethers. Those complications were the driving force in our purchase of an RV, but it usually means we get to visit with one family at a time…it’s hard on two doting grandparents. Nevertheless, Helen (BeBe) will not be denied at least one family reunion a year; she made that happen last week.
The South Carolina group arrived in Knoxville last Friday, followed by the California kids late on Saturday night. All arrived without incident, and the grandchildren were happy to reunite with their cousins. COVID prevented that from happening last year.
After a good night’s sleep, I attended church, and Helen drove the grandchildren over for their first visit of the week with their great-grandmother at her retirement home. My mother is a very sharp 94 years young and was so thrilled to see the children that she couldn’t hold back the tears. She might prefer that I keep this picture to myself, but I found it very touching.
The remainder of the day was spent smoking pork shoulder and slabs of ribs for dinner. My brother’s family came over to visit and join the family fun—something we had not done since my mom’s 90th birthday party.
On Monday, everyone piled into two cars and drove to a Nature Park across town to let the young and the young-at-heart try their skills on a ropes course. The Dads (Justin and Collin) joined the kids in negotiating ziplines and tightropes, walking across a rope system covering about an acre. A ropes course expert led them through the adventure. It was crazy fun for both the participants and the spectators.
On Tuesday, three of the California bunch came down with COVID, probably due to airline travel. Each had a fever of 100 degrees or higher, erasing several planned outings for later in the week. We decided to make lemonade out of the lemons.
The healthy ones went to the toy store to purchase cards and board games. Helen found a chess set and set it up on our screen porch. The kids found some old blankets and built forts in the living room to hide in and share secrets. Of course, each child had iPhones for surfing and books for reading, and by the end of the week, Helen and I were thrilled to see them play well together and fill the house with loud laughter. Justin and Collin spent a lot of time working remotely.
Before the COVID outbreak, heavy rain fell on Knoxville one afternoon to the delight of the California kids who don’t see rain often. They decided to immerse themselves in the wet stuff. Our oldest granddaughter is a member of a competitive dance group in California and jumped for joy as the rain fell on her. I love this picture.
On our most recent visit to Charleston, Collin tried grilling pizza on a Big Green Egg over a pizza stone. The pizza was outstanding, so I bought a pizza stone this week to do it again. I also purchased an outdoor propane griddle that would work for pizza, and on Wednesday night, we had a pizza party. Collin worked in a pizza joint while attending Indiana University and mastered the art of tossing the dough. It’s a skill that (almost) made the tuition worth it. We prepared six delicious pizzas and had fun doing it.
Helen had asked everyone to write down a favorite Bible verse and send it to her for printing. Once she had them printed out, she asked the children to draw pictures around the written verses and color them so she could attach them to our refrigerator. They each did a great job and gave us an art gallery that made us proud.
Everyone knows about Helen’s love of jigsaw puzzles; she had a unique puzzle for family week. Our last get-together was in California, and we had a picture taken on a visit to the Brea Tar Pits that Helen ordered as a 1000-piece puzzle. This was a challenging task to pull together, and people worked on it constantly. One morning, Collin stayed up until 1:00 am to make some progress, trying to complete the puzzle before everyone left for home.
Sadly, our week ended too soon, and everyone had to return home and attend to life’s demands. We said our goodbyes and gave the grandchildren one last hug for the road. We’ve had some great times in the past, but this one we’ll remember for a very long time. Who knew COVID could be this much fun?
It’s been a great week! We’re Easin’ Along.
Joe, this post is so filled with love and joy, it makes my heart sing. That photo of your mom is priceless and I am sure she will forgive you for sharing it. Her joy is undeniable.
Wow, what a week. Helen’s puzzle just gave me an idea of a gift for Malcolm’s mom. Thanks
Good morning, Suzanne,
COVID threw us a curveball, but things couldn’t have worked any better. By the last day, the kids were laughing so hard (not sure at what) that the house shook. My mom hasn’t seen the picture yet…she’ll probably tear up again. Thanks for checking in. Joe
I’m literally blinking back tears as I comment on your heartwarming post, Joe. Your mother looks happy despite her emotions. Your granddaughter’s grand jete is incredible and that really got my waterworks going for some reason probably because of the joy of simply playing in the rain! The kids brought those beautiful bible verses to life. I’m glad you could spend time with them all, even if covid was a bit of a catalyst for emergency activities. Gotta love that ropes course (I miss the one at Sacramento State–I played with the college kids every semester for 8 years on the course). Thanks for writing and sharing your family, and have a wonderful week!
Good morning, Terri,
So that’s what you call a joy jump…grand jete sounds much better! The ropes course was a hit with the kids and the Dads. Only one of the children had ever experienced a Zipline before, but they mastered it quickly. It was a great week. BTW, I knew you would appreciate the Bible verses. Always great to hear from you. Joe
Joe, what a wonderful week you and Helen shared with your family! I’m so sorry that some of the group came down with Covid, but it sounds like everyone had a great time anyway. I especially love the photo of your beautiful mom surrounded by her great-grandchildren, and the very creative family photo puzzle. It’s a delight to see the joy and love in your family gatherings. 🙂
Good morning, Laurel,
The children hadn’t seen each other for over a year, but it didn’t take long to get reacquainted. They played well together, and we had no meltdowns! I am looking forward to catching up with you and Eric. Hope everything is going well. Safe travels! Joe
I absolutely love your family photo puzzle. What an awesome idea!
Donna,
The puzzle was great entertainment for everyone since we were shut in most of the week. At some point during the week, a piece turned up missing. After much searching, Collin found it under the deck. The piece slipped between the deck boards and landed in a spider web. He was so proud of himself!
What a wonderful recap of a memorable family week! So sorry the Californiaian were I’ll, but you all persevered and made many terrific memories. Love the puzzle!
Hi, Carolyn,
As you know well, a grandparents’ job is to make memories. Hopefully, we succeeded. The ropes course was a hit, and the puzzle was fun for everyone. Thanks for stopping by. Say “hi” to Johnny and have a great week! Joe
Omigosh, Joe! What a fabulous time you all had, despite the intrusion of COVID! Helen must have been in her glory, and I’m sure you really enjoyed the opportunities to grill with and for your family. Such great pics! And the jigsaw puzzle, that’s just amazing. Quite the accomplishment considering all the other activities that were going on! Thanks for the family week report!
Good afternoon, Mary,
After the visit, we all agreed that we could have fun anywhere. the kids were offered a choice of places to get together, but they wanted to come here. The ropes course saved us a trip to Dollywood, too! What could be bad with pizza and puzzles? Great to hear from you. Joe
That reunion was like a movie. It all sounded like so much fun. How great that they are so close. I love the picture with Helen and the kids. I know she loved seeing them. Good time for y’all!!
Ann,
We had bunches of fun, and the kids were just delightful (only one minor meltdown). Helen (born to be a Mom) was in her element and had a smile permanently on her face. They grow up so fast, so this visit is one to treasure. Thanks so much for stopping by. Hope you’re doing well. Joe