Fireworks, Friends, Grandpas, and Seizing the Day

Sometimes our children are wiser than we think. And sometimes it just makes me cry.

A week ago, friends of ours from school had invited us over for dinner and to watch the Fletcher Fireworks show from their back yard.  Suzanne even invited my in-laws.  Bell was excited because she loves to play with their son.  I was looking forward to good company.

But then the evening began to unravel.  Jack will be off next week while I get to go to an Advanced Placement Summer Institute so that I can teach my very first AP class in the fall.  That means that he ended up being on multiple jobs starting yesterday and running through Friday or Saturday.  No 4th of July for him.  We will be lucky if he even calls home today.

Then last night when we went to check in my in-laws, Harold asked if Isabella was big enough to ride in his truck without her booster seat.  When I asked why, he said he thought she might like to go with him to Cyril to watch the fireworks.  He knew that we were going to Suanne's, but had forgotten.  Rubilee piped up that we already had plans and he looked like a puppy someone had kicked.

When we got home, Bell and I talked about it over evening chores.  She pointed out that this may be a one time opportunity to go with Grandpa.  He will be 87 next month and honestly, every winter he is worse and we think it is the last.  He has never felt well enough to ask her to go with him anywhere before either, but he felt well yesterday.

I pointed out that she might never go Suzanne's house on the 4th again either.  Isabella agreed that it might be true and I left the decision up to her.  She was really quiet.  I could hear the scales in her mind weighing burgers, ice cream, her friend, and a nice show against sitting in Grandpa's truck watching a small show from the shop.  Her answer:  "Mom,  I should spend it with Grandpa.  He is my only Grandpa Harold and there really might not be a next year for this."

And with that we just hope our friends understand and forgive our rudeness of not showing up, especially after I said I would bring salsa.  We hope our friends and family everywhere spend this holiday appreciating the ones they love and remembering the sacrifices made so we can live in a place where we can make the choices that matter to our hearts.  Happy 4th of July from us here on the hill.