Beaming

When someone was having a hard day, my dad would say that  "nothing was going right from the get-go."  That was me one day this past week.

Tired from our marathon trip up north, Dash woke us both up before 6 a.m. with his classing roo-ing.  I awoke to piles of dishes everywhere in the kitchen and even bigger piles of laundry laying on the floor downstairs.

Groggy from sleep and grumpy because of who-knows-why, I wanted coffee, except I couldn't make that darn machine run.  After 30 minutes had gone by - still no coffee.

By then, I was tired, grumpy and caffeine deficient.  Matt came, did exactly what I did in the same exact order and finally coffee nectar finally poured forth, but I remembered then that I was supposed to go to the store to get creamer and didn't.

Matt left for work and Dash was inconsolable, whining and crying for the next 30 minutes straight until I had to dash off to work in a hurry.

Ugh.

Later that day, I come home from work and see the kitchen all clean, with the dishes done.  Matt drives up, gets out of the car, 1/2 and 1/2 in hand and a grin on his face.

Apparently, my white knight drives a white ford and wields creamer to keep the grumpy troll in me at bay!

Oh, my Dear, you make my grumpy days brighter!

With love and laughter,
Ashley

One for the Storybook

I started to write about my non-birthday event, but instead, I started writing about the best Grandfather ever.

We got back from our trip to K'zoo on Saturday.  Just thinking about it makes me tired.  We left Friday morning, met my Sis and her husband for a quick lunch in central Illinois, then made it into town just in time to see a huge gaggle of family gathered around Grandma at the hotel.

We all were happy to see one another, but it was a somber time, too.  The family had descended on Kalamazoo to honor Grandpa.

My own grandfather was a very stern man who didn't like kids much.  Can you imagine my delight when I married Matt and three amazing grandparents came wrapped up in the deal?

He was such a wonderful person.  I always describe him as the 'storybook' grandfather, full of all-encompassing hugs, beaming smiles and great stories.

I have heard from several people that Grandpa had a 'decicive' side, but I never saw it! (Enter in the story where angsty teenage Matt drives a golf ball through an enraged man's windshield.  Grandpa stood behind Matt and simply said "Sir, you cannot speak to my Grandson in that way."  Grandpa to the rescue!)

I just remember the hugs.  And the beaming smile I always got from him when I walked through the door.

I look forward to one of those hugs when we meet again someday.

With love and laugher (and some tears)

Ashley