Saturday, April 23, 2016

 “Grandchildren are the dots

that connect the lines from generation to generation.”

— Lois Wyse

Whoops … I missed a week of Journal Jots posts, but I have a good excuse, I promise!

You see I spent last week in Spokane with my grandbabies, and would you believe I actually thought I would have time to write or respond to emails or post a JJ?

YEAH, RIGHT!!

But I’m not complaining, trust me. Last week was one of the best weeks I have ever spent, and I have lots of pix and great memories to show for it.

My little granddaughter Rory was my shadow day and night, breaking my heart the last night we were then when she broke down and cried, clutching my legs for dear life. “I don’t want you to go; I want you to live with us,” she said with a wobble in her voice, and is it wrong to say I was both crying and smiling???

A few nights later, my daughter-in-law texted that Micah, my 2-1/2-year-old grandson asked his mom where “Juju-Papa” were. I think it’s so cute how they run the two names together like Keith and I are one. Well, I guess we are in God’s eyes, so the kids have it right! Anyway, my DIL told him that Juju-Papa had to fly on an airplane to go home. “They need to come on airplane back to our house,” he said, and my heart took flight just like that airplane that whisked us away!

I always worried that I would never be a very good grandmother, because babies were never my thing. Remember how Katie O’Connor complained to her sisters that and she Charity didn’t get the “mother gene”? Yeah, that’s how I felt, too. Until I had my own grandkids. Now I’m the only grandmother (or mother for that matter) that I saw playing troll on the swinging bridge at the playgrounds, getting stuck on the slides, and climbing the monkey bars, making a real monkey out of myself. I always knew I was a juvenile delinquent inside because I LOVE to act crazy on the playgrounds!! So suffice it to say that Juju had a blast with her girl while Papa spent most of his time playing trains with his boy. From chalk pictures, hopscotch, movies, and books, to walks, coloring, playgrounds, Play-Doh, and getting ready with Juju’s makeup — I felt like a kid again and SO grateful to God for my family!

It was especially great to see my own “kid” and “kid-in-law,” sharing a number of deep conversations that brought us closer than ever before. So in every way, it was a magical week for which I thank God!

So if you will forgive me, I am a wee bit behind on deadlines and such, but I am happy to tell you that not only will I have a Christmas novella coming out this year in an anthology called Frontier Christmas Anthology with Mary Connealy, Ruth Logan Herne, and Anna Schmidt with Gilead Publishing, BUT Gilead is also interested in my Western series, Silver Lining Ranch, so look for a western trilogy from me on that as well down the road. Meanwhile, I’m cranking like crazy to get book 2 of the Isle of Hope, Love Everlasting, out by September, so prayers appreciated because I’m not known to be a fast writer. 🙁

Okay, that’s all I have for you today, but I will leave you with some pix from my trip to Spokane, so happy viewing and HAPPY WEEKEND!

HUGS,

Julie

Rory referred to Papa as “Papa-Bridge.”

My “angels” with glow-stick halos. 🙂

Whoops … Papa caught us playing hopscotch without our knowledge.

At least it was BEFORE I toppled over! 😉

Micah is crazy over trains and bemoaned Papa’s departure desperately!

Rory loves riding Papa’s shoulders & trying to cover his eyes with her skirt, the stinker!

Juju-Papa taking a breather …

The only negative was I got sick (fever and sore throat) the 2nd last day, and I felt horrible. Keith took a pic and said I looked like a bag lady, coining the phrase. “Yes, officer, she’s all mine.”

Such a handsome family, if I must say so myself! 😉