A Christmas Visit

My Dad and Mom. Their Grandpa and Grandpa. Our treasured family from Michigan.

They drove so far and gave so much because their hearts know nothing other than how to love and care and serve.

My parents arrived the day after Christmas and stayed for four short days - just enough time to celebrate Christmas, Jaxton's birthday, and Micah's birthday.

In between wrapping paper and birthday cake, we found time to play games and hike at nearby Crowder's Mountain.

Unfortunately, during their visit my Dad started feeling achy and feverish and by the time they left he was miserable. Thankfully they made it home without any trouble (except the trouble of driving 13 hours when you feel terrible), and thankfully no one else came down with whatever he had.

But let me back up.

My parents brought Christmas gifts that had all of my kids smiling.

Jaxton has a new hammer set and toddles the house clutching it in his hand all the time. His new nickname? Thor.

Annalyse has an array of new accessories for her baby dolls and is in her element being a mommy to babies that do whatever she insists on, rather than Jax who doesn't seem to enjoy her mothering at (most) times.

And my boys received wrist walk-talkies and nerf guns - a perfect combination that ensures hushed whispers, code words, and foam bullets in the oddest of places around the house. In fact, I have no pictures of them with their new gifts because the moment they were opened my boys were gone and running to opposite rooms.

For Micah's birthday, he asked to go to Sky High, and indoor trampoline park, but later decided to hike Crowder's Mountain when he learned Grandpa and Grandma would be here. I guess he thought they were too old to jump and flip on trampolines but young enough to hike a mountain. I think that's still a compliment...?

The weather was perfect for spending the day outside, and the rest of the Charlotte metro area thought so too. After a half hour wait to find parking, we hit the trail and enjoyed a great walk to the summit. And yes, my boys wore their walkie-talkies so they could spy on us along the way.

For Micah's birthday dinner he chose - wait for it - Taco Bell. We tried really, really hard to suggest anything and everything other than Taco Bell, but he had his heart set on cheap tacos encased in Dorito shells. Because my parents are easy to please, they smiled and happily went along.

On their final day with us we celebrated Jaxton's birthday. Lucky kid got a second go-round for a cupcake and made no hesitation about diving in. My parents gifted him with a ride-on elephant toy that his older siblings probably have more fun with than he does. I will say, it's really cute to watch his little self hoist a leg over the elephant, have a seat, and stretch his toes to make himself go.

When we weren't busy celebrating, the boys enjoyed throwing a football and playing games with Grandpa, and Annalyse enjoyed having a tea party and reading books with Grandma. Simple things are always much more fun when Grandpa and Grandma are here.

Then it was time for them to go.

Already.

So, the routine of hugs and tears and hugs and prayers and hugs and goodbyes happened again. It never changes and it never gets easier. And as long as we are hundreds of miles apart it probably never will.

But that's okay. I don't want saying goodbye to people I love and cherish to get easy. I want my heart to tug when they leave so that I remember how special they are and how blessed I am to call them mine.