When Papa Joe comes to visit...

“It’s always fun when Grandpa comes, when Grandpa comes hooray!” The words of this primary song kept running through my mind with my dad visiting this week. The kids get so excited, and I do too. I really appreciate my dad and the support he has always given me.
He drove all the way up from California to meet our newest addition. We visited a short time Monday night and then let Papa Joe go back to his hotel to get a good night’s rest after his long day of travel. When he came back the next morning, he brought donuts, of course (A Papa Joe trademark)! Matthew learned what it meant to “play hookey”. I let the kids stay home from school so they could spend more time with Grandpa.
We spent the morning hanging out, visiting and reading the new books Papa brought from him and Grandma Shelley. We then ventured out to a hamburger joint for lunch with all five kids.
Now my dad spent most of his growing up time alone. His dad died when my dad was only 20 months old, and his only sister was 16 years older than him. By necessity, his mom entered the work force, leaving my dad to pretty much raise himself. So to be around a family of seven is quite phenomenal for him. Another thing about my dad is he is great comic relief. You just have to appreciate his sense of humor. For example, when I told him #5 was on its way, he suggested I think about getting a new hobby. Or when we were driving down the highway into town, he was observing all the cows in the pastures, and commented, “Now I know why I’m always in the mood for a hamburger and shake when I come to visit you.”
So we walk into the restaurant (with all five kids) and my dad asks me, “So what…do they have a wing for us here?” And then after we order for everybody, he asks, “Is that everything? I mean I want to say, like uh, drinks for the house or something.” Ha-ha Dad!
Of course it’s important that he pass along his comedic talent to his grandsons. One of the books he brought had sea creatures in it. As they were reading, Papa taught the boys a new joke: “Why is the crab so grumpy? Because he had to ‘shell’ out.”
On Wednesday, the kids went back to their routine and Dad and I were able to spend some time together. He was able to see that this house can actually settle down to a quiet mode when most of its occupants head off to school. We did lunch again, with only one in tote this time. Then he got a “behind-the-scenes” look at the stress I go through to produce those sweet little studio portraits of his grandchildren.
On Thursday Papa Joe headed back to California :( I spoke to him as he was traveling south. He couldn’t seem to compliment us enough on our "beautiful family". He sees what a blessing these children are to us, and as he says, it makes his heart go pitter-patter.