Our Children are not our Children

I love my family and I want to encircle them all in my arms and have everyone be here together. I felt this most intensely after 9/11, but none of them were here, and we wept alone. Our three children have been given wings to fly, and they now live their own lives..
Today, we anticipated the wonderful birthday party for two of our grandchildren who were arriving from thousands of miles away. We hadn't seen them for six months. Our oldest grandchild was also here for his spring vacation. And we had our youngest grandson and his mom here as well. My sister and her husband were coming, and our nephew and a couple of friends-a full house.
Before the gang from far places arrived, we had all the beds made up, the dog hairs vacuumed from the carpets, and the major volcano cake constructed and decorated. (It erupts with steam from dry ice and spews out red lava.)
It was a long day. We cannot do anything very purposeful that is a part of our regular lives. We wait for arrivals and empty the dishwasher many times, do lots of laundry loads, and prepare meals for the multitudes. In bits and pieces we connect with each family member.. I spend time at the barn with my two small grandsons, hugely enjoying a ball game. They are three and four, so different from each other, a white blonde and a redhead, but they are interested in each other and quickly find a common interest in little cars and vehicles. I see a physical commonality in the cheeks, the toes. The youngest grandchild, Caroline, joins the group. She is a very beautiful child, so delicate and petite at two, very self-contained. She doesn't know me and is wary. She takes her cue from her trusted brother and allows me to woo her.
In this family visit I think I am better than I have ever been. I have no particular expectations and take the visit hour by hour. I hear our daughter inviting her brother and family to come down to her place nearby and for one nano second I think "Oh, no! These precious people can't leave for a day!" But, then, I do a self-correct, and recognize that this is what the visit is all about.
Our oldest grandson, now fourteen, is here by himself. What a magnificent young person he is! He particularly wanted to meet his youngest cousin and he is so great with the toddlers and the three dogs. He is eager and willing to help out with whatever needs doing and he is amazingly forthcoming about his life and interests. He loves to go out in the truck with his grandfather who lets him drive. This is a really gifted boy who is very connected to family.