Had a beautiful four day visit with the grandchildren this week. The journey home today was pleasant and I watched the cloud formations on the horizon as I drove. The clouds spit a few rain drops out, barely enough for the wipers to wash off. I always shed a few tears of happiness on the way home. Maybe those were happy tears from Chief.

I’m glad to be safely home and perched in the swing with a frosty can of Budweiser. Just kidding, I’m drinking a pint mason jar of sweet tea with mint from the garden, a lemon wedge floating on top. I’m enjoying the birds and watching Father Sky sketch another round of storm clouds. He’s masterfully tinting layers of purples and grays and whites as the clouds rush together and join hands. I can hear the summer thunderstorm musicians tuning their rain instruments as the thunder rolls softly towards my neighborhood. A symphony of gentle rain is playing now.

During my visit with the grandchildren we went to watch my oldest grandson, Alexander, and his high school band play a preview of the music from their Friday night’s marching band show. The band sounded great and I was so proud watching Alexander, standing military straight and tall, playing a silver mellophone, his feet marching in time to the music. Made tears well in my eyes. I’m so proud of this wonderful young man. He has such a beautiful spirit and puts his heart and soul into every experience life gives him, always doing his best. He’s gonna change the world one day. Hope I live long enough to celebrate with him.

We’ve been watching the Olympics each day. We played “Mee Maw Olympics” last night focusing on the broad jump. After a few coaching tips from my grandson, Emerson, who is on his school’s track team, I was ready for the qualifying round. First try, I couldn’t even jump up with both feet off the floor. Embarrassing, but we all laughed. Next jump I assumed the perfect position, knees bent, swung my arms, and as he chanted “Patty, Patty,” I jumped 12 inches. My next qualifying jump measured 25 inches! I was so proud! Emerson jumped 7 feet, 2 inches! Byron Jones set a world record broad jump of 12 feet, 3 inches in 2015 at the NFL Combine. He needn’t worry about my jumping but Emerson might break that record one day. He’s quite the athlete. Emerson is so kind and so solicitous of me just like he used to be with Chief. Helps me down the stairs. Holds my hand. He has a kind heart and worries about me. He is a fine little fella! I know he misses Chief.

Woke up this morning feeling the love from my broad jump as I dragged myself up the stairs for breakfast cinnamon rolls. Food is quite the motivator. Got to do some conditioning before the next broad jump trial. Told Emerson when I come back I’ll do better. He just laughed and said, “Don’t practice, Patty, you might hurt yourself.” I thought to myself, I’m not practicing, I can hardly walk! Hope I can push the accelerator hard enough to motor home. These glorious hilarious moments will always be with us.

I had never played Charades and I discovered I am terrible at it! I guessed a few correctly but I’m not very good at acting them out. When it was Alexander’s turn he drew a card, laid down on the floor, curled his arms up, and started shaking. I yelled out, “Drug overdose!” Emerson looked at me and said, “Patty, what is wrong with you?” Then Handley yells, “Seizure!” All three of the children and I lost our breath laughing. I was begging for oxygen. We finally gave up and Alexander says, “Spaghetti.” That just made us laugh more. Said he was spaghetti on the floor and was making meat balls with his hands. I gave up on Charades!

Handley is great at Charades, acting out the words and guessing the answers. We spent some girl time building playing card houses and trying not to knock them down with our laughter. We watched a cute movie together. We love to get tickled. I always tell her she’s my favorite granddaughter and she laughs saying, “Patty, I’m your only granddaughter!” She had a loose tooth and proudly showed me the Presidential James K. Polk gold dollar coin the Tooth Fairy had left under her pillow last night. She fashion showed me her new clothes for school and her “I love them!” new tennis shoes. She’s a feisty girlie thing, bossing her older brothers. I love her and she tickles me! She’s little but a Mighty Mouse!

Last night we had family movie night watching Minions: The Rise of Gru. The kids popped popcorn and we laughed during the entire movie. We had a beautiful night, the kids sleepily hugging me goodnight after the movie, sweet I love yous spoken from all three and me, too.

Riding home from church this morning listening to the grandchildren chattering, watching Thomas reach for Ashley’s hand, I realized I’m a lucky old woman. Life has blessed me in so many wondrous ways.

“A life-long blessing for children is to fill them with warm memories of times together. Happy memories become treasures in the heart to pull out on the tough days of adulthood.” — Charlotte Kasl