Kirsten Williams: The Beach with Katie

So.........we decided to brave the beach with our granddaughter Katie. I say "brave" because, as you know........I never know how I am going to feel. But Dale is so wonderful to take over and help out, and we warned Katie that grandma would have times I'd just have to go to bed . She turned out to be a complete sweetheart, and a lot of fun too (not surprisingly)

Well, the first day I went down to the beach with Katie while Dale was doing "something" at the room.......to be along "shortly". I sensed I wasn't feeling so well when we got down there, but I thought "well, Dale will be here soon". Katie decided to go run along the waterline while I watched her from my towel.

It didn't take long for me to realize I was in trouble. My stomach was in a very "non-compliant" mode and I was trying to figure out how I was going to make a bee-line for a bathroom...........but I couldn't leave Katie alone, and I couldn't see Dale. Finally, I saw Dale like a mile away. I got up and went into a dead run (I probably looked like a slug, but for me, it was a run) and went screaming past Dale yelling "I'm headed for the bathroom, go find Katie and our stuff!". That was it for me for the day. By the grace of God I made it to the room, and spent the rest of the day in bed!!!! God bless Dale. Anyone watching must have thought we were crazy!!

All, these sort of experiences have made our little Katie very sensitive to her grandma. So I have to tell a little story on her. She talked me into letting her sleep with me one night, which is one of grandma's #1 rules with the grandchildren........No sleeping with grandma!!! They all squiggle, and kick, and move and I never get any sleep. "Oh, but grandma, I don't do that anymore." I can't believe I fell for it.

So at 3:30 in the morning I am quietly getting up to move into her room (where grandpa Dale is sleeping in one of two twins) because she is moving all over in her sleep, She wakes up with a start and asks me what I'm doing. I tell her I'm going into her room so I can sleep. Here's the point of the story: she jumps out of bed (now mind you she is 10 years old) and runs over and says "no grandma, you get back in bed here, it is bigger, more comfortable, and you are closer to the bathroom". Then she tucked ME in and quietly walked herself back to the other bedroom!!! I am so impressed with her sweet spirit. Did I mention I love her?

Here are some fun pictures of our trip to the beach: The rest of the time I felt pretty good and had a lot of fun: