A Wonder-Filled Day

Once again, it's been a few days since my last post. I can't seem to keep up anymore. Life is happening here, at a much faster pace than I am epuipped to handle. But I'll spare you the gory details.

My mom had her Lumpectomy surgery on Monday. I hear it went well. I wasn't able to attend because they wouldn't allow Laney in that part of the hospital. I stayed home and then went to Grandparent's Day at school instead. My dad says mom is doing ok, but in alot of pain. I pray that she feels better soon. Thank you to everyone that kept her in your prayers.

This past Saturday was a fantastic and fun family day for us. We were gifted blessed with a wonderful day at the TN Valley Fair. My husband's sister's father-in-law (got that?!) planned a fun, family day at the fair. I have been wanted to take the girls to the fair every year since they were tiny. I asked my sister-in-law if we could follow them up to Knoxville (providing we could scrape up the money to go)because I don't usually drive in that part of Knoxville. Unless, of course, I'm heading to the hospitals. Anywho, she said she didn't see any reason why we couldn't just all head up there at the same time. Her father-in-law (my kid's call him Papaw Arnold) takes my niece and nephew to the fair every year and has since before they could walk. He loves spending time with them, loves doing things like that for his grandkids. We scrimped (is that a word?) and saved so that we could come up with the money to take the girls this year. Well, we really weren't able to save enough to take them. We're still in such a financial strain from all the time my husband has had to take off because of his illness. (Not to mention almost $300,000 in medical debt!!) I felt horrible. I just knew this was going to be another year, just like every other year, where I have to see those sad little expressions, while my niece and nephew tell the kids all about their fun day at the fair. Well, admission is $9 for adults and $6 for children. Laney would get in free. But that's still, $30 for admission, $5 for parking, and $22 x2 for wristbands for rides. = $80 we really couldn't spare at this time. I know it doesn't sound like alot of money, but right now, it's alot to us. Still, the kids were determined to go and I couldn't wouldn't say no. So we arranged to meet Papaw Arnold, Mamaw Joyce, and my SIL/BIL/niece/nephew in a local parking lot. We were following them to the fair and the kids were SUPER HAPPY! Papaw Arnold told us to just follow him and we were off to the fair! About half-way there, they pulled into a restaurant parking lot to grab a bite to eat. This was an expense that I wasn't anticipating at all. We definitely didn't have the money to eat at the place they chose. We were trying to figure out how to tactfully explain this, but Papaw Arnold wouldn't listen. He just started barking out orders and ushered us all into the restaurant. He then paid (for all 13 of us!!!) to eat. I was blown away by his generosity and he didn't even bat an eye when the total was given. Just whipped out his wallet and paid! Well, soon we were back in our cars and on our way. At the entrance to the fair, I got out my $5 to pay the parking. I was the last car in our "convoy" to pay for parking. The parking lot attendant refused my money and handed me a ticket. He told me, "your dad already paid your parking!" Papaw Arnold had told them he was taking his family to the fair and needed to pay parking for his son's car behind him, and his daughter's car behind him too. It was so nice of him to consider us family for the day. But what really made me cry was when we walked into the entrance to the fair and he paid for 13 admissions into the fair and bought EVERYONE wristbands for the rides. He refused to let us pay our way in and insisted on EVERYONE getting to enjoy the rides. We had only brought enough money for our 2 oldest girls. I tried to offer him some money to reimburse him for our tickets and he wouldn't take it. He said he was taking all of his family to the fair, us included and he didn't want to hear another word about it. We that's about the time I started to cry. No one has ever done that for me before. I've never felt so included in someone's family-not even my own. My girls didn't want for anything the entire day. Everything that Papaw Arnold's biological grandkids did, my girls did too. We all did. All 13 of us. From an outsider's point of view, we looked like a big, happy family, spending the day all together. Two grandparents, spending the afternoon spoiling the grandkids while their own grown children looked on in wonder. And that's exactly what I did all afternoon. Look on in wonder as my girls had the time of their lives. What a fanstaic feeling it is to be a part of such a loving and wonderful family-even for just one day. I felt like a kid again. Seeing the fair through my children's eyes. Seeing the love of a grandfather for his grandkids-even grandkids that aren't technically his own. Thank you Papaw Arnold for giving my girls that day...for giving me that day. You gifted me with something so much more than that trip to the fair. You gave me a true sense of what being included really feels like. And for that, I will NEVER be able to thank you enough!