Meeting Great Family...

As part of our trip to California in August, we got to visit with my grandparents in southern California. This was a really special experience, partly because I hadn't seen them since the Christmas before I got engaged, partly because they hadn't met Logan or Elise before. My girl is very shy, takes a while to warm up to people, and even to new places. She was a bit shy at first, but gave her big smile (that's what she's decided she can do if she feels shy). She warmed up though as she got to explore the toy closet - she especially liked the bucket of marbles. She wanted to toss them by handfuls, which we put a damper on, and instead tried to pick them back up and put them in the bucket. We got to hear all the updates on our family, which was really great, as I haven't really been in contact with most of those branches of the family tree. I remember, while growing up, as we would visit Grandma and Grandpa Parker, that they would have pictures of their various trips to places all over the world on their walls. This visit, instead of pictures of places, there were pictures of all their kids and grandkids, and great grandkids. It was really fun to see pictures of cousins I haven't seen since we were all kids, and to hear the neat things they have been doing since then. My grandparents are cool people, with great stories and experiences to share, and it was really cool to see their love for their family as they talked about what all their posterity is accomplishing. Towards to end, Elise got over her shyness enough to give and recieve kisses from her Great Grandma Parker, although she was a bit shy with Grandpa still (men take a bit longer for her to warm up to), and only consented to hugs with Great Grandpa Parker. We got a picture, which I think was so great, especially as it will help Elise remember them, and that they are an important part of our family, even if we don't get to see them very often. WE LOVE GRANDMA AND GRANDPA PARKER!!!!