The Rest Of The Story

So Kian and Riley have gone home with their dad although Riley pretty much decided that she wanted to live here. They love my house and who wouldn't? There are chickens to feed and a kid next door to play with who has a ton of toys and who loves to share them and a giant bathtub to float around in with the duckies and lots of Little Bear books their Aunt Mary will read to them before bed and Uncle Glen who can turn them upside down to walk on the ceiling and there are always pancakes (plain for Riley, with blueberries, peaches and pecans for Kian) and all the dogs to play with who will handily eat up anything you drop on the floor and frogs and bugs and a garden to pick actual vegetables out of and stairs to climb and hats to try on and well, frankly it's better than Disney World and I need a nap.
I mean really. I need a nap. And I didn't even get up when they did. Uncle Glen did. And they were awake when I went to sleep. Oh sure, they were in bed but after we'd read the stories and everyone had gotten water and then peed and then been tucked in for the third time with dire warnings about getting out of bed ONE MORE TIME, I went to sleep. They're the best kids in the world and I sincerely doubted they were going to get up and set the house on fire.
Plus, it was almost midnight. Right?
When I got up this morning they were like, "Aunt Mary! Aunt Mary! Will you cook us pancakes and sausage?!!!" and I was still about ten feet away from the coffee pot. I said, "Yes. I will. But it's going to take a little while."
And it did.
They can't believe how long it takes Aunt Mary to cook things but that's because their family has two working parents and most of their meals involved freezers and microwaves, I believe. My meals involve stringing beans and making macaroni and cheese from scratch and the same with the pancakes. But I believe they think it's worth it.
I know their pictures make them look like they're way too sweet and good for words but honest to god, they just are. I never have to say, "Now y'all hug each other for the picture." They just do it. And everything is so new and swell to them.




"Look! Rocks!" and "Wow! This is tall grass!" and "The chickens are eating the collard greens!" and "This cucumber is HUGE!" and so forth. You can't help but get excited with them.




"I want to live in a house just like this when I grow up," says Riley and I smile from my toes to the top of my head.
"Me too," I say. "Me too."
So I sort of feel like I got some grandmama practice in today and it felt good.
"I can't wait until the chickens lay eggs," Kian said as they were leaving.
"I'll call you when they do," I told him, and I kissed his buzzy little head, so filled with facts and thoughts and Big Ideas. He can read now and I'm just amazed. And Riley can cut her pancakes up all by herself. And eat her weight in macaroni and cheese.
They're growing up. They're five and seven now and before I know it, they'll be graduating from high school. I need to have them over more while they're still so enthralled with chickens and frogs and finding a penny at the post office. These days won't last forever and while they're still so enchanted with life in Lloyd, I need to get them out here to enjoy it. Because how can I not enjoy two young'uns so happy to be in the place that makes me happiest?
Besides, I get to read them books which is one of my biggest pleasures in life- reading books to kids. And they pay attention and don't jump around while I'm doing it.
And then they go home with Daddy.
And then I take a nap because all this love and wonder wears my ass out.
I feel like I've been working on the railroad, all the livelong day.
With the two sweetest children in the world who really like macaroni and cheese, even the kind that Aunt Mary makes that doesn't come out of the blue box. And takes a really long time to make.