PENNSYLVANIA JET LAG -- RUMINATIONS OF THE TRIP

It's Wednesday, and 36 hours ago I was driving home from Kansas City, musing upon the events of the long weekend in Pennsylvania.  I was alone with my thoughts driving the interstates as the sun sunk into the horizon of orange and red....

The vision of Will, Noelle, and Caroline waiting for us at the airport warmed me inside like a steaming cup of Starbuck's latte!

Noelle just had to catch a ride on the famous "Grandpa Express!"  All our kids seem to like the reckless rides.  Who needs carnivals coming to town?  Just bring 'ole Grandpa and Grandma!!

Remember those animal gifts I thought were so cute?  And remember I wanted them to perform a puppet show?  Well, remember life does not always respect our wishes!!!  The wild 'n crazy gramma was 1 for 3.  Noelle LOVED her skunk, Caroline was politely grateful for her peacock, and Will threw his cow to the floor in disgust.  If this was the wild west in the early 1800's, them little critters living in a one-room homestead farmhouse would have jumped up and down in glee for the only gifts they had received in the two years livin' in de wilderness!!

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A surprise awaited us from Jay and Meg.  For our Christmas present, they had lined up Saturday as a "King Grandpa and HIGH Queen Grandma for a Day!"  They had hired a guide from the Mennonite Tourism Department to give us a two-hour tour of Amish country in Lancaster County.  Our guide was a Mennonite woman named Louis.  She truly was a saint and a fantastically knowledgeable guide.

What an interesting life the Amish lead!  And they are superb craftsmen and cooks.  We brought home some homemade strawberry jam to die for!  We had to catch the agrarian "feel" of the Amish lifestyle as well.  So we visited a farm! It was UTTERLY fascinating!!

For the main part, the Amish are dairy farmers, not grain farmers.  Milk trucks were at a majority of the farms we viewed.  I caught my son Jay showing Will the cows....but he was showing me a glimpse into his heart!!!

The time spent with the grandkids was precious.  They were genuinely excited about our coming, and they desired to be around us all the time we were there!!

I wonder if Caroline is destined to be the next "Wild 'n Crazy Grandma!"

This is Will going into Sunday School class!  How can you NOT love this??