Since when did my own kids become “company”?  PB and I have been cleaning like crazy, getting ready for everyone to come home.  We vacuumed the dust bunnies along the walls, we wiped out the crumbs under the toaster, and even Bo got a bath.  PB pulled the weeds out in front of the house, he mowed the yard not once, but twice, and put aromatherapy beads in the hot tub.  I bought enough food to feed the Green Bay Packers, laid out new towels in the bedrooms and sprayed “Italian Linen” room freshener all over.  I tell ya, we’re going all out.

Didn’t they used to clean for me?  I faintly remember the days of making lists of household chores for each of the children.   Alas, we have crossed a line into a new season.  My own offspring are now my guests. 

I’m ok with that, as long as they bring grandkids with them.  (Hub Bud arrives today!)

I’m so sorry. 

My deepest apologies. 

Our grandson, Hudson, is coming this week and I just want to prepare you.  There will be no holding back from posting umpteen pics of the little guy.  I will unashamedly gush and carry on about this perfect child.  If you can’t stomache the ravings of a head-over-heels-in-love Nonnie, you’d better turn the other way.  Before clicking on your link to small drop, consider whether or not you can endure unabashed bragging about Hud Bud. 

 Trying to be up-front with you.

I won’t be able to help it. 

Just so you know. 

Where in the world have PB and I been? 

These pics say it all!

What a wonderful world.

KNOCK, KNOCK. 

Hey!  Anybody home?  Anybody on the other side of this computer screen?

It’s me – Hudson!

Nonnie?  Poppa O?  Are you there?  Can you hear me?

 Turn on the Skype, I want to see you! 

   We have been counting down the days until our grandson, Hudson, comes to visit.  Yes, our daughter and son-in-law are coming, too, but Hud Bud is going to be the main event in our house for a whole week in May!  We’ll be celebrating Mother’s Day, two family birthdays and Hud’s dedication all in one swoop.  I can’t wait to get my arms around that little guy and take a deep whiff of his sweet baby scent (I hope!).  Even though Katie sends us pictures and videos every week and we Skype regularly, there’s just nothing like the real thing.  Besides, I’m not sure what Hudson actually sees when he looks at the computer screen of two grinning grandparents.  I’m not sure he’s going to really get to know us that way, or understand the depth of our love for him.

   God communicated with His people long-distance throughout the Old Testament.  He created a covenant that established a relationship, He sent prophets to speak for Him, He put into motion beautiful stories that illustrated His love.  “But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son” (Gal. 4:4) because there’s nothing like the real thing.  He couldn’t wait any longer to get His arms around His people.  So the Word became flesh and we had a chance to see up-close the depth of His love for us. 

   When Hudson comes to Nonnie and Poppa O’s house, he won’t have to work for his room and board; he won’t have a list of dos and don’ts to follow; he won’t even be expected to do anything.  We just want to love the little man to pieces.

Like we’ve been loved to pieces by our Father.  And loved to death by our Savior.

There’s a humongous hot tub in our garage.  PB and I weren’t looking for a hot tub.  I wasn’t praying for a hot tub.  We didn’t even want a hot tub.  It just appeared.  What I really need is a blender.  The Hamilton Beach 2001 was a wedding gift 33 years ago.  This amazing appliance has been as faithful as PB all these years, but last time I blended something, liquid poured out the bottom and the flooded motor gave out.  A blender is what I really want.

A few days ago, our younger son called PB.  “Dad, we’re working on this house and they are getting rid of this hot tub and giving it away for free and it’s in really good shape and I said I’d take it.  So, can you come with the trailer and get it?  Tonight?”  Always up for an adventure and trying to encourage our son’s eye for a good deal, my hubby went to go look at the treasure sitting on the curb.  Turns out, the mammoth tub was in really good shape and they were giving it away for free and it was a good find.  When I woke up the next morning there was a humongous hot tub in our garage.

I’m really torn about this unexpected blessing.  I admit my first thought was to put it on Craig’s List and make some money to invest wisely for retirement.  I know.  Boring.  (Somebody needs to be reasonable in this family.)  Now I’m wondering: what would it be like to go out my back door and soak in bubbles under the stars?  I have never done such a ridiculous thing.  Is it even permissible for a pastor to have a hot tub?  Maybe if we use it for ministry (or baptisms?) we could justify such an extravagance.  But somehow I just can’t picture the church’s trustee committee gathering on our deck in their swimming trunks. 

Such a dilemma.

Perhaps if the jets are turned on really high, a hot tub could make smoothies….

Look at this precious child.  He’s 8 weeks old and bigger than his teddy bear.

Hudson’s mommy told me he cried all day yesterday.   It was an excruciatingly long day.  Maybe he had a little tummy ache.  Or maybe the full moon was throwing him off.  It’s hard to believe this happy boy gave his mommy fits yesterday.

I know what the trouble is.  He misses his Nonnie.

Hey, Hud Bud!  See you in a few weeks! 

On Sunday, PB and I took a little roadtrip to Ames, Iowa.  “Ames, Iowa?” you ask.  Yes, indeed.  Because that’s where our daughter, Anna, and her husband, Dan, live.  We hadn’t seen them since last December and she offered to make us meatballs, so we went. 

Ames is a friendly place.

It was windy the whole time we were visiting.   Must be why they are called the Cyclones at Iowa State.

Dan and Anna have a cute little apartment decorated all Anna-style.  The meatballs were delicious.  I’m just sorry I didn’t take a picture of them.

We brought the Spree along and handed the keys over to them.  The scooter just doesn’t work for 6’5″ boys who weigh 200 lbs.  (All muscle.)  Anna took it out for a ride.

Then Dan took a spin.

While Dan was out, PB fixed the light socket in their garage.  Because PB has to fix something when he goes visiting the kids. 

When Dan got back, the men talked about garages and tools and cars and scooters.  I went back in and ate some meatballs.

Anna and Dan took us to a very cool place for breakfast.  They took us, but we paid.  That’s what parents do. 

Then Anna wanted to show us her favorite antique store in town.  It was……..interesting.  We knew that this was a one-of-a-kind antique store right at the door.

Like baskets?  There were piles of baskets.

Or maybe dishes?  There were stacks of dishes.

There were pots and vases as far as the eye could see.

There was a greenhouse in the back of the store….and a rocking chair…

Outside there was a real nice pile of pots.

Thankfully, they had an overflow shed.  Look carefully: it’s full all the way up to the top window.

We had a great time with Dan and Anna.

They’ve gotten off to a good start.

I distinctly remember saying, “I’m never going to make another cake pop as long as I live.”  But that was last summer, when the freezer was overflowing with hundreds of the little rolled up bits of cake glued together with frosting.  (See July 14, 2011 post “Wedding Countdown Day 30)  How many did we make again?  Was it 278…..or 354….or 1 kazillion?  Today I discovered that making one batch of pops is rather enjoyable.  There were three good reasons to revisit the world of cake pops this weekend.

1)  A day after our daughter got married last August, Kate (a friend of mine who attended the wedding) unashamedly confessed to me that she must have eaten at least 10 cake pops at the reception.  We discussed at length whether the chocolate, strawberry or vanilla treats were the better choice.  She was ahead of me on that one – I had only sampled the vanilla, so I valued her expert opinion.  I was so happy that someone had received such pleasure as a result of my hours of baking, rolling and dipping.  Her appreciation just oozed and I thought, “Now here’s someone who deserves her own batch of cake pops someday.”  Since it’s Kate’s birthday tomorrow, I decided now’s the time.  I love cooking for people who ooze with appreciation.

2)  Our niece, Meghan, got married today.  The wedding was in Texas and we weren’t able to be there.  She’s a dear, sweet girl and we love the whole family so much.  PB asked if we could watch the wedding on Skype and they were able to pull it off!  At about 2:00 this afternoon, PB came in from cleaning the garage, I washed pink candy coating off my hands, and we sat down to witness the blessed event.  We were so grateful to be able to hear the wedding vows and see how beautiful Meghan looked on her wedding day.  So I dipped a few cake pops in honor of Meghan and Randall.

3)  This week a little friend of mine got a new baby sister.  Maggy comes to the preschool Sunday school class and sits in the pew behind me in church.  She has the longest darkest eyelashes you ever did see.  Big sisters need their own bucket of cake pops, I’m positive. 

I guess there’s one more reason….  I caught PB looking longingly at the row of fresh pops.  Happening to find one with a crack in it, I asked him to please dispose of it, which he did with pleasure.  He’s helpful like that.