Hi everyone, Ian and Marita have instituted a visitor’s toll: if you visit them in Seattle, you have to offer up a guest blog entry. Let me assure you: it is the smallest of fees for the greatest of experiences. So here goes a blog from Gram-Alice:
I returned from Seattle on March 3rd and have been thinking a lot about my visit. It was especially wonderful for being so ordinary: I camped in the guest room, went to a Frisbee game, helped with the dishes, shopped at the mall, made my own coffee, sat in on Marita’s book club meeting. More than usual, I had the chance to be part of Ian and Marita’s everyday lives. As many of you know, they have a unique and, I think, enviable way of living. They live in a big, friendly, comfortable and welcoming house with Marita's sister Rachael and brother-in-law Mike. From what I could see, they share responsibilities and purchases and household chores, not in a self conscious, ideological, split-down-the-middle with everyone doing their exact fair share way, but more through an easygoing, generous and reciprocal sense of support. And, it is not that they are all just like each other---their styles and friends and priorities are different. But they each seem to have simply moved over a little to make room for one another's values and preferences, with love being the single constant. It is truly a loving household. Even as a guest arriving at the tail end of a long string of weekend visitors, I felt embraced by the easy generosity of my hosts and their warm home.
Then there are the children. Rachael and Mike’s boy Logan is the funniest, flirtiest, smartest, most curious little guy on the planet. He makes you forget that he’s ten months old: he just gets everything so immediately, you can see the gears turning as he figures out every single thing he comes upon. And about Liliana—what can I say? I am unabashedly astounded by the powerful feelings I have for my grandchild. Many new grandparents "warned" me, but I still got blindsided. Now, some people (ahem, my children) won’t believe this, but despite my tendency to cry easily and watch “Sound of Music” reruns, I actually think of myself as someone who doesn't go too overboard. Well, I am overboard and drowning in love. Don't save me! Liliana is amazing, a peaceful and contented baby whose default mode is joyful. She has a way of solemnly and thoroughly scanning your face as if reading the fine print; and then suddenly, sunshine! Her happy smile just lights you up, and captures your heart. She is a delight. And Ian and Marita are incredible parents. They are so natural and easygoing in the way they care for Liliana, and so obviously in love with her. When I see them leaning down together to tend to their baby girl, I feel the presence of all the generations--the Grunfelds and Neustadts, the Gallants and Shechters, all the elders of Marita’s mighty family lines—all gathered to have a peek at this child that their lives conspired to create, and to offer their many blessings.
I returned from Seattle on March 3rd and have been thinking a lot about my visit. It was especially wonderful for being so ordinary: I camped in the guest room, went to a Frisbee game, helped with the dishes, shopped at the mall, made my own coffee, sat in on Marita’s book club meeting. More than usual, I had the chance to be part of Ian and Marita’s everyday lives. As many of you know, they have a unique and, I think, enviable way of living. They live in a big, friendly, comfortable and welcoming house with Marita's sister Rachael and brother-in-law Mike. From what I could see, they share responsibilities and purchases and household chores, not in a self conscious, ideological, split-down-the-middle with everyone doing their exact fair share way, but more through an easygoing, generous and reciprocal sense of support. And, it is not that they are all just like each other---their styles and friends and priorities are different. But they each seem to have simply moved over a little to make room for one another's values and preferences, with love being the single constant. It is truly a loving household. Even as a guest arriving at the tail end of a long string of weekend visitors, I felt embraced by the easy generosity of my hosts and their warm home.
Then there are the children. Rachael and Mike’s boy Logan is the funniest, flirtiest, smartest, most curious little guy on the planet. He makes you forget that he’s ten months old: he just gets everything so immediately, you can see the gears turning as he figures out every single thing he comes upon. And about Liliana—what can I say? I am unabashedly astounded by the powerful feelings I have for my grandchild. Many new grandparents "warned" me, but I still got blindsided. Now, some people (ahem, my children) won’t believe this, but despite my tendency to cry easily and watch “Sound of Music” reruns, I actually think of myself as someone who doesn't go too overboard. Well, I am overboard and drowning in love. Don't save me! Liliana is amazing, a peaceful and contented baby whose default mode is joyful. She has a way of solemnly and thoroughly scanning your face as if reading the fine print; and then suddenly, sunshine! Her happy smile just lights you up, and captures your heart. She is a delight. And Ian and Marita are incredible parents. They are so natural and easygoing in the way they care for Liliana, and so obviously in love with her. When I see them leaning down together to tend to their baby girl, I feel the presence of all the generations--the Grunfelds and Neustadts, the Gallants and Shechters, all the elders of Marita’s mighty family lines—all gathered to have a peek at this child that their lives conspired to create, and to offer their many blessings.
No comments:
Post a Comment