relationship...

When BJ was living/working down in Utah and the kids and I were still up in Idaho, our future was unpredictable and our present felt bleak. BJ and I switched off making the 4 hour drive to see each other on the weekends. One weekend, he would drive up to Idaho and the next, the kids and I would drive down to Utah. Because BJ lived in a shared apartment with a few other guys, my grandparents graciously opened their home to us for our rather frequent visits. Amidst all the difficulty, they were there for us; to pray for us, encourage us and support us. I remember when BJ got his permanent job offer, how excited I was to call and share the news with them because I knew they would really understand what a miracle it was for our family and would truly celebrate with us!
One huge, amazing blessing that came from these visits is that my kids really KNOW my grandparents now. They will have distinct memories of my grandma cooking and serving and nurturing and loving, of my grandpa always ready with a hug and a kind word, of movie time snuggled up on Grandpa's lap. I too have felt their love throughout my life. As a child, we lived just around the block from them and spent MANY summer hours playing in the fig tree (a.k.a. the pirate ship, the mansion home, the castle, etc), of eating toast with peanut butter & honey, followed by a lot of ice cream at our weekly "Ice-Cream Sundays", rehearsing for singing productions and plays. Then, during my college years I often visited their home when I found of couple of hours here or there between classes/jobs. I knew that I could always get what I needed there, whether it was a nap in the basement or a listening ear. Again, in my early years of marriage after BJ and I had purchased our first home, we suddenly found ourselves homeless when it turned out that the loan was based on a fraudulent appraisal. With nowhere to go, my grandparents opened their basement to us, where we lived for a little over a month while we made other living arrangements. And again, just recently they helped us through a difficult time. I know, right? How could I have made it through my life without their encouragement and love? So, yes. I am thankful that through it all, my kids have come to know my grandparents! At Becca's reception, my Dad and my Grandpa were sitting next to each other and I put the Bub down, saying "Go get Grandpa!" The Bub ran straight for my Grandpa. So Dad...I think is a sign: You need to move to Utah :) Just kidding...sort of!