Let's not camp out

We had talked with our Indiana daughter and her significant other about meeting at a state park in southern Indiana to camp out a couple of nights. Because of one thing or another the date kept getting pushed back until this week-end became the next available time slot (mid October). They've been having some nights dip into the freezing levels though, not really conducive to a fun camp-out, and so they're coming down this week-end to spend Friday and Saturday night with us instead. Lot's of talking time over coffee.

Then last night the Indiana son called to say they were coming down Saturday night and will be in around 3 Sunday morning. They'll probably stay over until Monday. Sunday we'll all get together with the son and daughter that live here close and we'll be with all four of our children once again. Twice in 20 years and now twice in two months because we all live in closer proximity these days. What a blessing that is.

One of the delights of life has been watching them from birth to now. All their wins and losses, marriages, divorces, stumbling and getting back up again. Four distinctly different people all with their own set of strengths and weaknesses, with their individual histories separate from my wife and I since they became adults. I think one of the hardest things was switching over from parent that guides and directs growing children, to butting out as they became adults. Giving advice only when asked but being their when someone needs an arm to lean on. In spite of all the mistakes we made as they were growing up, we did succeed in one way. They all love each other, and they all love us.

It'll be a great week-end