A Very Fun, but Very Disappointing Day

Yesterday was a day of ultimate contrasts: 
it included lots of GOOD and FUN,
yet also EXTREME DISAPPOINTMENT.



My Sweet 94 year old Daddy lives 150 miles away,
with the Big Bad Traffic City of Seattle in the middle,
so we don't get to see him nearly as often as we would like.


We loaded up the car at 8:30,
and headed out on our 3 hour drive.
We stopped to pick up some Take & Bake Pizza for lunch,
and arrived at Grandpa's right about 11:30.


We knew we had less than 3 hours,
before we had to load up and head home,
because Hosanna had a babysitting job at 5:30.


We each took turns sitting by Grandpa 
and visiting with him,
while we popped the pizza and breadsticks 
in the oven to bake.


Gregg arrived about 12:00, 
bringing ice cream and cookies for dessert.


Kayla and Noah pulled in about 12:30.
Sadly, we knew we had less than 2 hours 
to spend with our Precious Grandson.
Each of us would have loved 
to hold him for the full 2 hours,
but we graciously took turns.

Oh the JOY of letting Great-Grandpa hold Noah.
More precious than words.
Noah was grinning ear to ear.
Great-Grandpa was laughing gleefully.

At 1:50, Kayla mentioned that she 
wanted to head over to our favorite 
Country Furniture Store,
so I suggested that we join them for
just a few minutes on our way out of town.

We said a hurried good-bye to Grandpa.
Papa jumped into Gregg's car 
for a 15 minute visit to the Furniture Store,
while Hosanna jumped into Kayla's car
for a short visit with "Big Sis".

The kids followed, with Mama behind the wheel of our Big Excursion.

After 20 minutes at the Country Furniture Store,
where the boys found a football game to watch (smile),

we loaded up again, for our now 2 1/2 hour drive home.
Because of Hosanna's babysitting commitment,
I paid close attention to the clock the whole way home.
I know how much time it takes 
from a multitude of places within the drive.  
Thankfully we were on target each time.

We pulled into the driveway at 5:15,
and I suddenly had the most sinking feeling . . .
"What if the family called to cancel the babysitting job?"


I hurried in the house, to see there was a phone message,
"Hi Hosanna.  Sorry, but I have to cancel."


I didn't even listen to the rest of the message.
We were sooo... heartbroken.
We could have spent more time with Grandpa.
We could have spent 6 more hours with 
Gregg, Kayla, and Precious Noah.
They hadn't had any plans for the day.
Every minute with them is so dear to our hearts.

We just stared at each other in silence.
Seriously?!?!  Hosanna's job is cancelled?!?!

Hosanna learned a very good lesson yesterday:
give her new cell phone number to
anyone she is babysitting for.  (smile)


I suddenly had no motivation to accomplish
any of the tasks on my to-do list for the day,
and neither did anyone else.
Sooo...  we watched movies all night.

But . . .

despite the frustrations . . .

we were . . .

Oh. So. BLESSED.

by our time yesterday with

Grandpa, Gregg, Kayla, and Noah.

Is he not just ABSOLUTELY ADORABLE ???