Visit was good for the soul

We went to see my sister-in-law, Sue, and brother-in-law, Bill, last Saturday to drop off a present for our niece. They happened to be baby-sitting their young grandchildren, Isabella and Mackenzie, while their parents were out of town. Isabella and Mackenzie live closer to us than Sue and Bill do, but it is still a very long drive.

Shortly after we arrived Mackenzie was carried off to take a nap. Isabella needed a nap also but she managed to fight it off.

We had introduced ourselves to Isabella, but she referred to both of us as “guests.” When she went to the bathroom she requested that one of the guests turn the water on so she could wash her hands.

We gathered around the table and caught up on family matters. It seems like the only times we get together is at weddings or funerals. Granted, we had seen them at a birthday party the previous week but there was too much confusion and too many people to really catch up.

Let me point out that all the adults in the room were way too old to die young. You know you’re over the hill when you go visiting and the main subject of conversation is what drugs you are taking, what medical equipment you use, what works and what doesn’t. Of course, there is always the story of somebody who had the same ailment who was cured by an unconventional potion or other remedy.

Later as the conversation veered away from our maladies, Isabella wanted a guest to watch a short movie with her and snuggle. I volunteered. I had heard of Fancy Nancy before but up until I watched the show with Isabella, I had never actually seen her in a movie. Thankfully it was a short story. I thought Fancy Nancy was a bit of a brat, but don’t tell Isabella that.

Mackenzie woke up and was allowed to join the party. She is just beginning to talk. She is as darling as her sister. As the adults were running out of things to say, she opened the one cabinet she is allowed to play in. Isabella ran into the door and started crying that her nose hurt. Mackenzie just looked at her and kept playing. Isabella was not about to stop whining even after Sue told her she was going to live.

Most of the problem was that she had skipped her nap in order to play with the guests. I finally poked my thumb between my fingers and applied a nose to her ear. She started giggling. I told her she couldn’t laugh when she was hurt. Of course, this made her giggle even more. I teased her a little more until she quit crying. She wasn’t really hurt, just tired.

We said our goodbyes and promised to get together more often. We made the long drive home and shared experiences. Today I am watching the snow gently fall and am very grateful that we chose yesterday to visit instead of today.

It seems that once the parents die, their children often lose touch. Sure, there is mail, email, text, phone, Skype and other ways to keep in contact but none of them are like physically getting together and letting the conversation wander. All the electronic communication in the world can’t substitute for a hug given by someone you love. Also, it is virtually impossible to put an invisible, fake nose on a crying child unless you are within arm’s length of said child.

We may be too old to die young but we aren’t too old to play with small children. I’m glad we took the time to catch up on each other’s lives.