Second Home~Revisited

They still have plenty of this in Utah!
This beautiful photo was taken by Lowell
of the tree in their front yard.

Well, I am here safe and sound and enjoying the melodious chaos of 8 grandkids talking, giggling and vying for my attention all at one time. My brother, Steve, always says no one greets him when he comes through the door like his little dog, Oscar.

I think what we experience here is about the same degree of happiness x 8~a hundred percent love and welcoming. If you are ever feeling dejected or overlooked or invisible as an older person...run, don't walk to your nearest grandkids for that sense that you are loved and needed as much as ever. It is amazing how Heavenly Father has covered everyone's bases. There is something so grand in every stage of life.

Yesterday I arrived at the airport after a very short flight (c0mpared to my last one from Munich, Germany) , and there to greet me were Chris and Missy and four little kids with big posters that they had made saying: Welcome Gramma!" Sadly somehow, we completely missed each other and I was waiting on the curb while they were waiting at the luggage carousel. Finally I called them on their cell and they were just patiently waiting inside as I was patiently waiting outside. But they came clamoring out waving their signs and it was so cute. Even Owen had colored me a picture. We lost the photo op in the frenzy of the moment! I need to get back with them and have a picture taken so you can see the cute posters they made.

After we left the airport we went to have lunch at The Mill at Gardner's Village. That is always a treat, this was no exception. One of their specialties is fried green tomatoes.

The Big Wooden Waterwheel in front of Archibald's Place.

Connor and Aynslee waving to Grampa
to let him know they miss him via the blog!

That is me way over the bridge with the kids looking at
the tadpoles that Zach discovered.

Village shops.

These ducks were all ganging up on this one duck
and pecking her and pulling her feathers out.
The kids were quite intrigued by it
and quite frankly, we had no explanation!
(I am hoping it wasn't some weird mating ritual or something!)

We walked around for awhile and visited some shops and watched the ducks and then headed into The Mill for lunch. It was so nice to be together again after several months.

Just outside the restaurant, our son, Chris,
and his three sons, Owen, Connor And Zachary (l-r)
Owen ran off and then Aynslee jumped into the photo op!

Missy was buying something in the country
store and managed to slip by the camera again!

I sat down in the restaurant and looked up and the very first person I saw was, Virginia Walker, the lady that was the organizer of the Women's Conference I presented my blogging class at last week. What are the odds ~ 800 miles from home? She got to meet Chris' family and hadn't seen him since he was in his high school choir and she was his teacher. Fun times. The kids bought me lunch and that was so sweet. We enjoyed more of the village and then headed up to Jen and Lowell's place.

Another shot by Lowell of their home on the mountain.

Thanks Chris and Missy and kids for the warm welcome!