Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice

After the children are grown, married, and have their own family there is nothing sweeter and more precious than grandchildren.  Mindy and I visited our son and his family in Wisconsin this week and had a great time with our granddaughter.  She's almost 2.5 years old and is an absolute joy.

We saw them this last Christmas when they came to us in Ohio, so it's been eight months, and it's incredible how much bigger she's grown.  What she's able to communicate and understand just blows me away.

Since I was the one taking most of the pictures there aren't many of me with her (I could be wrong because I don't know what Mindy has on her camera).  But the moment I walked in the door and got down to her level and held out my arms Eliza ran to me and gave a big hug and I was hers until we had to leave.

We read books, played "chase" where she'd run and I'd give chase and scoop her up in my arms just before she reached her destination, built with blocks, played with dolls, said our ABC's and count to 10, rode in the wagon and on and on it went.

And then there were times we'd just stare at each other across the table ... and smile.