Monica and Mandy

When I wrote about the grandchildren at the reunion, I didn't mention Monica and Mandy by name, and I think I put them in a little different category- the ones who have had children. While we played around at the lake house, they chased their little children, kept them entertained and fed and changed and prevented them from drowning and plunging down the steps of the deck. Their Grandma Laura also took heavy responsibility for this as well. I felt guilty about not doing more, I enjoyed seeing the little ones, as we all did, but in the end, we light heartedly did as we pleased while the young mothers could only have stolen moments of freedom.
I remember it well, that constant presence of responsibility. Our children are a welcome gift: I used to go in their room and look at them as if it was Christmas morning. Their existence completes me in a soul deep and physical way even now, but we also never quite stop worrying. Our life is bumped up into a different level, and there is no looking back.
As to how they reflect our Dad: nothing was more dear to Dad's heart than children. Monica was the first and he had the joy of her first year of life. That picture of her standing with him with the lunch box down by the road is stamped on our minds. She always had a special relationship with her Boppy. When Mandy came along, there were my girls and then Brian, her special pal. We all loved watching Mandy and Brian at the farm, walking hand and hand , carrying Cabbage Patch kids, if I remember correctly.
The times when these poised and smart young women could join their cousins in the fun were especially precious: the hilarious telephone pictionary game, the night of crazy dancing, the photo album fest, and the late night talks.I think these relationships will last a lifetime, in spite of the geographic distance, as we all build memories together.