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Dear Family,

Jackee and I flew into BWI (Baltimore Washington International) airport after a smooth and pleasant flight. We waited briefly for our luggage and by the time we got out to the curb, lo and behold, up drives this white van with three little kids in the back yelling “Hi grandma and grandpa”, and waving red valentines. Actually, Seth was yelling something undecipherable in his own little micro-language, but with an equivalent enthusiasm.

While grandma told stories about the rest of you to JB and Susie up front, I rotated my vertebrae 180 degrees and talked with Camryn, Allie and Seth most of the way home.

Camryn’s favorite phrase was “Guess what?”, followed by a 200 microsecond pause (and I answered ‘What’ at least 5 times, until I learned that my ‘What’ was an impediment to her intended follow-on information). Camryn was so full of stories and information to share, it took at least 5 minutes to kind of “empty” her pent up store.

Allie was patient, and quiet, waiting in the opposite corner seat until the Camryn-explosion of “Guess-what”‘s had subsided. Then we spoke, nearly 60-year-old grandpa, to nearly 60-year-serious granddaughter. We communed, heart to heart, about the symbols on the very detailed valentine card she (and Susie) had made for our welcome.

And Seth, what a little man! Big cheeks that are almost the size of Rusty’s “chipmunk storage chambers” at the same age… not quite as large, but just as charming. After arriving at JB and Susie’s big little home, Seth let me rock and sing him to sleep. About the second time through “De ‘tem Wa Por Qua”, he was out. The feelings were powerful, and reminded me of the deep bond I fused with each of you … doing the same, years and years ago.

Love, Dad (from Baltimore)