One bed time in September Audrey was asking about my 93 year old grandmother who lives in New Hampshire. She asked what she was like as a mom (she was dear and loving and hands-on with her three kids but also a working mother. She was a nutritionist in charge of the school district's food program). She has always been a mentor to me for so many reasons and I have told stories to Liv and Audrey over the years about baking chocolate chip cookies with grammie, ice skating on Saturdays together, swimming at the cottage, bus trips to visit her from college, goodie bags she'd pack for car rides home, her holiday traditions with full fabulous homemade breakfasts, shopping for school clothes at specialty store Goodnow's and on and on..
So Audrey asked when she could go visit her. I told her how great grammie loves her and sends her cards and gifts and even emails.
"But when can I SEE her," she prodded. "I'm not sure, Audrey. Why do you want to see her so badly?" I asked.
"Because she is alive and I still have time to see her but Papa Bliss (Eric's dad) is not and I don't want the same thing to happen. I want to know what she looks and feels like in person."
That night I booked the trip.
The girls and I left for New England for a few days the start of October. We surprised my mom as it was her birthday. We were welcomed with open arms, much fanfare, and big smiles. It was good to be home.
We spent the weekend in Boston ---walking down the cobblestone streets in Beacon Hill where I lived during my college years
enjoying the Public Gardens (the girls sat on the duck sculpture which was created after Robert McCloskey's 'Make Way for Ducklings'- a true Boston story I might add!), 
stopping by Union Oyster House (America's Oldest Restaurant and where Eric and I had our rehearsal dinner eleven years prior)
visiting Simmons College where I graduated from college more than seventeen years ago!
hanging out at the pool and hot tub~
Back at my parents house in Western Massachusetts
Olivia and I took walks in the neighborhood and relived stories of my youth (I showed her steep, scary "Suicide Hill" where we'd ride bikes, we passed my friend Christa's childhood home, Rusty Anderson's house, the homes of kids that I babysat and popped in to our neighbors for an after dinner chat).The girls loved seeing my parent's fifteen year old dog, Casey.
They slept in my old bedroom and loved playing with my old toys. Audrey especially loved my baby dolls and even one of my mom's. 
And she finally got to have a tea party in my childhood home with my mom. Bliss!
We made super memories those few days as my folks showered us with attention and affection. They took the girls shopping and brought us to a beautiful pumpkin patch for some homemade ice cream. 
We were welcomed to the gorgeous homes of my life long girlfriends and got to enjoy their wonderful, wonderful children whom my children connected with instantaneously. Again, it was good to be home.
And of course, we spent the day with my gram. The highlight of the journey. 
Audrey could not keep her hands off of her. Here they are hand in hand as grammie takes us on a tour of her beautiful assisted living facility.
Here they are at Friendly's Ice Cream as gram likes to grab a sundae now and then.
Audrey kept exclaiming throughout the visit, "I can't believe I'm seeing her in person!"
Once Audrey let others get close to grammie, Olivia managed to make a wonderful connection as well.
It is this final image below that I will hold in my heart forever in regards to this trip to New England. Olivia and grammie are making eye contact, sweet smiles are playing on their faces and there is an unspoken easy bond they've formed.
How grateful I am for my family (young and old), for the memories (reliving past ones and creating those anew), and for the process of life (for the roads grammie has traversed and the long, windy unpaved ones that lie ahead for my girls). May my girls revel in the journey and may they have peace and contentment in knowing at the end of the path that leads back home the door will be open and I will be waiting to greet them with open arms. 
Thank you, Audrey, for this beautiful homecoming. May you always remember how good it feels to be in Grammie's presence.
Posts
6 comments:
Oh Katie,
What beautiful photos and what wonderful memories you'll have of this special trip back home.
This post choked me in so many ways; on one level that I never really appreciated the moments I spent with my own grandmothers and secondly, that my children never knew their grandmother.
What a wondeful gift for the girls but oh my, what a wonderful gift you gave to your sweet Grammie (she looks such a peach too!)
xoxo
Thank you, Carrie. As I wrote this I felt such gratitude for my relationship with my grandmother. Every one that knows her holds her in such high regard. She was a doting wife, loyal daughter-in-law to a very demanding woman, professional woman at a time when females did not go to college, loving daughter to her wonderful parents, and truly her parenting and grandparenting ways are bar none. I am so glad my girls know her and feel very sad that your kids did not have a chance to know your grandparents and more than that- your own mum. She created such a beautiful daughter. k
Dito on the choking up part. Wish I'd had such wonderful connections with my family and even though my grandmother is still alive, we aren't that close. I could have admired her as you did - great parent, great wife, never remarried after my grandfather passed, was an OB/GYN nurse until she got shingles at 82, volunteered and has tons of friends. But when we moved across the world, my world just changed and my family was not included.
Audrey is so wise beyond her years to want to know her family.
Good for you for taking the time to travel that far for something so special.
Great pics, too!
Hugs,
R
Thank you, k, for sharing this peak into your amazing family. A family so solid with love and support. Your sweet Audrey, so kind and gentle - knowing what is most important in life (family) at age 5 - truly remarkable.
I love the memories you shared and even more, the never-forget memories made during your trip home in the fall of '08.
Now we know where your kindness, love of life, and true deep caring for your family and friends come from. Thank you for being such a wonderful friend!
Nick
Okay, that picture of Aud and Grammie and Friendly's for ice cream says it all... their smiles are the SAME! So beautiful. Your post again makes me grateful that my children get to know my grandma (100 in April 09!).
Great Grammie was a loved one!!! We loved her as much as you do. You have the same heart as Great Grammie.
~Olive
Post a Comment