Bittersweets

Bitters...

• Hearing my brother's girlfriend lament about being overdue, when I know that both my sister-in-law and I (and now my cousin) all wish that could have been our complaint.
• Having people gasp and freak out at pictures of Nicholas, Sophia, and Alexander.
• Saying good-bye and knowing that Bobby and Maya are going to miss their Mimi and PopPop, and Mamaw.
• Hearing over and over again how my parents went from 0 grandkids to 5 in six months.  I know what people mean, but it still hurts.
• Knowing that it will probably be a good while before I see Benjamin again.
• Realizing, sadly so, that the next time I visit Nashville it will most likely be alone and for the funeral of my great-grandmother, who was turned over to Hospice at-home care.  I am so glad that Bobby and Maya were able to meet her and that she was able to cuddle them and get their "baby kisses".  Yesterday, we had 5-generations together (the kids, me, Mom, Mamaw, and Grandma) for photos.  Earlier in the week, Peter took some of just she and the kids.  We're going to make a collage and mail it down.

Sweets...

• Getting to spend half a day with my nephew and loving it.
• Getting to watch my brother play and cuddle with my children.
• Spending so much time with my mom and "dad" (adding the step to it just sounds so wrong when he is such a father to me).
• Talking to my (step)brother on the phone and making plans to visit his family in the late fall (so I can eat up my sweet neices!)
• Hearing my mom tell me that she was able to share Nicholas, Sophia, and Alexander to heal someone's heart.  Her co-worker's sister recently had a baby die, and she came to my mom to talk.  Mom shared our children and their pictures with her.  She was able to express her love for her grandchildren, even though they weren't here.  And that is a beautiful thing.
• 7 stockings.  Growing up, we had the awesome Christmas stockings that Mamaw made for us.  They were a green/white/red varigated yarn and stretched to fit SOOOOO many goodies.  Years ago, I'd commented that I would love to have some for our family.  That yarn has long since been discontinued and Mamaw has such arthritis in her hands now that she rarely crochets.  I knew that there had been a recent looking for of that yarn on their part, and when we visited, she took a stocking out of a box.  And, because she's Mamaw, she apologized that it wasnt the "exact" same yarn and said she'd make other ones if I didnt like them (AS IF!!!).  But then, the sweetest words of all: "There are seven."  There just arent words for that.

On that note, I just woke Peter and we'll be leaving for church in an hour, and then have breakfast with my parents before getting on the road.  St. Christopher, watch over us on our journey (and, if you arent too busy, make sure the highway patrol are all looking the other way as Peter drives by).