Gpa and Gma's Christmas Visit

My parents - my faithful, drive-around-the-world-to-get-to-you, parents - came or a few days during Christmas week. 

With three birthdays to celebrate in addition to Christmas, each day together involved presents or cupcakes or parties of some sort. 

With our milder temps (because anything above 30 degrees is a heat wave for my parents), we tried to enjoy time outside. Walks in the woods, basketball in the driveway, and shooting guns off the back porch.

Grady had the week after Christmas off as well, so it was major letdown when my parents left and he went back to work too.

And my kids. Ohmygoodness the kids.

Major attention-when-I-want-it withdrawal. Huge I-need-someone-to-play-with-me issues. Next time I'm either sending them home with my parents or sending them to the office with Grady because they need to feel my pain.

Thanks Mom and Dad for giving your time to come. For enduring the long drive. For sleeping in an uncomfortable bed. For sharing a bathroom with little kids. For showing us that family matters and minor inconveniences are actually a joy if it means time together.

Thanks Grandma and Grandpa for coming to visit. For playing football and basketball and giving wagon rides and going to the park. For playing too many rounds of Monopoly Deal, Qwirkle, and Uno to count. For patiently listening to school stories and sport play-by-plays. For willingly pretending with baby dolls and tools and superheros. Thank you that you intentionaly interact and engage; for initiating rather than just reacting.

We sure do love you. We sure do miss you. And we sure are grateful for you!