Tuesday

We're staying with the kids while Gayle and Bill are out of town for Bill's work. Yesterday (Friday), I was getting ready to go somewhere, and Carter was going with me.
"Go use the bathroom," I reminded him. Then I was sidetracked by something I was doing. A few minutes later, he was lollygagging in the livingroom.

"Go use the bathroom," I reminded him again, since it didn't seem like he had left the vicinity since my earlier plea.

"I already did," was his answer.

"When?" I asked.

"Tuesday."

Great Grandpa Redd

Every now and then, Carter has asked me about my dad. "Where's your dad," he asks. I tell him, "My dad lives in Michigan, and when we go there this summer, you will meet him." Carter is very interested in family relationships, who people are, and where they are. (Remember, Carter is the "dad" of his own son, Alex, the water balloon baby.)

So there we were in July at Platte River Campground, all of us hanging out in our pine canopied family room. Dad and Ula arrived from nearby Interlochen for their annual camp dinner with us. Dad had barely escaped the car when Carter walked over to him, took his hand and said simply, "C'mon".

Carter led Dad to Kathie & Carl's campsite next to ours where all the toys were, handed Dad a paddle and engaged him in a game of catch. I know, and am absolutely sure, that was the first time in over 50 years that my father played ball.

That I had my camera in hand is a tender mercy of the Lord. I will never forget the sweetness of what I witnessed in these few moments. With or without the pictures.

A boy and his (sister's) dog

Today was back to school for Brody and Kennedy. I'm totally in denial that my grandson is in the 6th grade, and my little granddaughter is in the 4th! They were babies only last year....weren't they? I went over to their house this morning for their annual back-to-school early morning picture taking episode. Each year it has been an "Event" with new clothes, new backpacks, big smiles, and lots of excitement. This year, it was different. The excitement wasn't there. We snapped a few quick pictures and off they ran. Carter never even came outside to be a part of it.

Another missing "person" was Smudge (the cat) who has been in every back to school picture until this year. I wondered if anyone but me noticed...






Carter will go to pre-school in a few weeks, and I know he will be excited and will pose as much as we ask, and will jabber about going to 'cool, like he did last year. For today, he was content to scoop up Lola, his sister's new puppy, who will be "his" while she is in school each day.