Two years goes by quickly. I'm realizing that now that we're one year into our Washington job. When we moved here, I figured I'd drive up to Bethlehem to visit my 90 year old grandpa every two months or so. Except, here it was, 14 months after we moved here, and I've been up only two or three times. The truth is, three active boys just don't mix well with a retirement community full of fragile retirees. Especially when the community doesn't even have a playground - or even a bench near a field. So, we didn't go.
Now with bid season upon us, though, I realized we could very well be shipping out across an ocean as early as next June. School end in MD, sister-in-law's wedding in TX, onward to new country. Not my ideal scenario, but all the same it could happen. Which means just 10 more months in the same country with my grandpa.
I've been fretting about this for a week - weighing what to do with the boys while at the retirement community vs. not actually going and our possible impending departure - and the balance left me a bit paralyzed. (not like me ... I'm usually decisive) But, luckily, Greg isn't as emotionally tied to my grandpa, nor as phased by boys "not behaving." And, Greg has a capacity to drive for a long time. So, per his suggestion, on Saturday we:
Left DC at 11, getting McD's in the car (treat for boys!)
Arrived in Bethlehem just before 3
Greg took two big boys out to a field, while Ian and I sat in the apartment with Grandpa and Rhea (his girlfriend of a few years)
Greg and boys all came up at 5, and everyone played some Rumikub
We ordered pizza and ate ice cream
Said good bye and hit the road home at 7
(well, one pit stop at a near by neighborhood park to let the boys run around before the ride home)
Now with bid season upon us, though, I realized we could very well be shipping out across an ocean as early as next June. School end in MD, sister-in-law's wedding in TX, onward to new country. Not my ideal scenario, but all the same it could happen. Which means just 10 more months in the same country with my grandpa.
I've been fretting about this for a week - weighing what to do with the boys while at the retirement community vs. not actually going and our possible impending departure - and the balance left me a bit paralyzed. (not like me ... I'm usually decisive) But, luckily, Greg isn't as emotionally tied to my grandpa, nor as phased by boys "not behaving." And, Greg has a capacity to drive for a long time. So, per his suggestion, on Saturday we:
Left DC at 11, getting McD's in the car (treat for boys!)
Arrived in Bethlehem just before 3
Greg took two big boys out to a field, while Ian and I sat in the apartment with Grandpa and Rhea (his girlfriend of a few years)
Greg and boys all came up at 5, and everyone played some Rumikub
We ordered pizza and ate ice cream
Said good bye and hit the road home at 7
(well, one pit stop at a near by neighborhood park to let the boys run around before the ride home)
It really only took 3.5 hours to cheer up my grandpa. And I learned that when Rhea isn't there, he apparently doesn't mind so much if the boys get a little rough on the sofa, especially if he himself is under the pile. The drive is long to do for just a day, but better to be tired on Sunday than arrive at my next post and regret the missed opportunity. Hopefully we'll be here beyond June 2015 ... but one never knows.
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