Babysitting Seven Kids!

Several months ago son Ben (father of seven) asked me if I would consider babysitting his children in January so he and wife Jes could take a trip to Hawaii.  I told him I would and that I'd bring Dad along with me.  There is something about distance that makes challenges doable.  My commitment was months away so agreeing felt easy.  As the time got closer I began to worry a little bit that we might not be up for the challenge.  They planned to leaved their youngest, Victoria, with us as well.  She is 7 months old and still nursing.  And not sleeping through the night.  Could we manage that and care for the remaining 6 properly?  A bit of worry began to creep into my thoughts.

                 Here are the older 6 of Ben and Jessica's children, in an earlier photo.

Ben bought us round trip air tickets to Palo Alto and back so we packed up, said a few prayers, and left for California on January 15th.  Ben and Jes left for their trip in high spirits on the 16th and we were on our own.  For the next 6 days!  Layne made out a calendar of events and I organized our routine, giving the kids some "grandma and grandpa rules" while we were there.  They were great at keeping them.  I'm reminded once again how accommodating children can be.  With just a few reminders they managed to do as we asked.  Worries were for nothing.

                            Bath time for Victoria, Abigail and Jonathan.

                                                     My birthday roses from Layne.

                                                  Abigail's 5th birthday, on Sunday.

Grandson Scott, with their pet bird.  He leaves on a mission sometime this coming summer.

Not that there weren't challenges.  The baby, Victoria, didn't care much for our efforts at replacing her nursing routine.  She wouldn't drink from a bottle and didn't sleep all through the night.  For the first two days and nights that is.  Then she adjusted.  She finally took the bottle and, once I decided not to respond to her requests for nightly rendezvous, she slept through the night.  It took two nights of 2-4 hours of sleep for me to figure out that, with a little encouragement, she could make it.  After that, my nights were full of sleep and my energy held.  What a wonder to behold how adaptable children are.  Victoria soon realized that I was as good as she was going to get, so she happily adjusted to me.  We had a good bond.

                             Victoria, happily settling for Grandma, the "feeder."

Our days were filled with jobs to do to care for all the kids.  I never left the house while Layne did all the outside activities like shopping and running the kids around to their various activities.  It was a good partnership.  On Sunday we all went to Brentwood to visit the other kids.  Otherwise we were home.  In all the hassle of doing, I longed for a chance to have a sweet bonding time with each of the children.  I prayed for it.  And the blessing came.  I spent a wonderful evening with the girls as they went to bed one night.  We talked heart to heart and a tender spirit emerged between us.  Several mornings the boys awoke early and they cuddled with me as we talked and admired the moonlight shining in the backyard.  And so the most important part of our time with them was accomplished.  They know that we love them.

                         In the meantime, here are Ben and Jes, on Sunday, in Hawaii.

                                                           Ben and Jes, having fun.

                                                           Our lovely, relaxed kids.

Ben and Jes returned on the 21st (Jessica's 40th birthday), full of enthusiasm and happy memories.  On Wednesday we flew home.  In spite of all the work it took to care for those children, I'm so happy that we did.  There is no blessing that outshines family.

Snow and Not

While our Gendreau grandchildren were here, they wished and wished for a snowstorm. While the snow did stay on the ground, nothing from heaven fell during their visit. Earlier this week however we awoke to a heavy layer of new snow. What a treat to the eyes to see white in every direction; even the sky was white.  All of that white lit up the outside and I found it cheering.  Perhaps it is because I'm a California girl and not used to such things.  So far, I love this winter!

It is strange to say that, in spite of a very white beginning to this week, the temperature has been rising and today it is raining.  The rain is washing away the snow and outside now looks brown instead of white.  I don't like it nearly as well.

Our driveway last Monday morning.  You can see Layne at the end of the driveway, shoveling.

                                Here's a view of the front yard on Monday morning.

       Here is our front yard today; the rain has washed away most of the snow.  I miss it.

It has been a lovely week, full of plans for organizing anew the things around here.  There is something about sorting and arranging things that makes me happy.  I love the feeling of having things "just right".  Not that I've achieved that as of yet, but I'm working on it and enjoying the process.  There are interruptions to my organizing world however.  There are other things to be done and I have to pull myself away from my orderly efforts.  Friend Phyllis Salsedo has finally accomplished her plans to move here.  She is here and has been in need of time and attention.  She is once again a reminder that, in the people versus stuff battle of life, people are supposed to win.  So I have spent quite a bit of time with her during the week.  I've enjoyed that too.

I attended a free class this week on energy and how to control it in our bodies.  Hum.  I don't really know quite what to think of it.  I guess there is something to some of it but, like a lot of things people come up with, I think some of it is imaginative.  I discussed it with Layne.  With a snort he declared all of it as bunk.  No mincing of words in his world.  So I guess I won't sign up for the class.  I wasn't going to anyhow.

This coming week we fly to California to babysit for son Ben and Jessica for a week.  There are seven very active children in that household.  I hope we are up to it.

A New Start

When I was younger and living in the past century, the year 2000 seemed very far away.  It felt like it would be a different world once we got past 1999.  But here we are, 14 years later, and, while life is different, it has not brought the catastrophic changes  I imagined.  Not yet.  Life goes on, with ever increasing speed.  I would like to say that I'm fully adjusted to the rush of change that accompanies it, but I'm not.  I am stretching to try and keep up.

Grandchildren are a dramatic reminder of what the world is like for them now.  I can see that there are many dark holes for them to fall into if they are not aware; there are increasing dangers in our society.  Working with addiction recovery has opened my eyes further to the traps that lie so close to us.  I hope that we can be part of the positive influence that they will need to survive and thrive.

Our Gendreau kids were pumped about New Year's Eve.  We planned special treats and games.  Layne bought fire crackers and confetti.  We all managed to stay up and welcome in 2014 with noise and a good wish toast with Martinelli.  It was fun!  The rest of our week passed quickly with babes still not wanting any outdoors activity.  There have been no storms, but snow is still everywhere; a testimony of the unusual cold that is preserving it.  By the end of the week they were missing parents and home.  So packing up for a return trip on Saturday was welcomed.

                              Here's Peyton and New Year's Eve confetti.

                      Gemma playing Uno with us, moving us to the countdown to midnight.

                                            Miles and our NYE toast.

       Not much outdoor time, but here is Peyton, shaking down snow from one of our trees.

                                 Here's Gemma, admiring the snow!

Daughter Audrey and Cliff arrived late on New Year's Day, with their daughter Allegra.  She is on her way to BYU Idaho for her first year of college.  All sorts of feeling accompanied this school journey of hers:  excitement, nervousness, sadness, anticipation.  All of these emotions come with change it seems.  It was hard for Audrey and Cliff to give up their second daughter to a growing independence.  How well I remember those feelings.  Sometimes I still have them.  Allegra is as pure and innocent a girl as one could wish for.  She is now settling in at Rexburg and her folks are mourning her absence at home.

                                     Our lovely Allegra poses here, all ready for college.

                  Our parting at the Subway Shop.  Gemma, me, Layne, Peyton and Miles.

On Saturday we met daughter Jessica and Chris halfway between here and Normandy Park, WA, at a Subway shop off the freeway.  It was a happy reunion!  I believe that Chris and Jes had a great time on their trip to St. Thomas island.  So, as usual, this time with family was sweet and rewarding.

Now for the clean-up.