Family Time

We had our first visit as a family to Mitch and Sam's house in Tennessee. 

We made it fun for the boys who flew on their own from RDU to BNA while Lisa and I drove across I-40 for a night outside of Asheville, NC.  The boys got a full day with their sister and brother-in-law full of bowling, a high ropes course, and too much food.  Listening to the stories, they all had a blast.

We got to spend time with Buoy, Sam's super pampered puppy; a big sweetie of a Labrador.  Grant seemed to really take to the dog. Buoy is Sam and Mitch's first foray into taking care of something besides each other. If their care for the dog is any indication, if they have a child, that child will be spoiled long before the Grandparents can ever get to do it.  

The day after we got there we drove to Mammoth Cave, KY, the largest cave system in the world. We explored the main cave, which reminded me of the Metro train stations in Washington, D.C. I am not a fan of tight spaces - especially when there are hundreds of thousands of tons of rock above me - but I managed.

Carving out these moments for them only reinforces my wish that they build relationships that will last long after I am gone.  Andy and I struggle to this day, finding neither common ground or an ease around each other.  Lisa and Linda seem to do a better job of being siblings in adulthood. My wish is - and has been for over a decade and a half - that Samantha, TJ, and Grant, are able to reach out to one another for support and family time at any any time.