Snakes and snails

Snakes and snails and puppy dog tails,  that's what little boys are made of.
I have so much to be thankful for in my life I could list things forever.  Don't we all?
The first thing most of us list when counting our blessing is family and I'm no different.  But I'm not talking just me and Peggy and our children and grandchildren.  I'm talking my children's aunts and uncles and cousins and great aunts and great uncles and second cousins and nieces and nephews and  on and on.  We have been blessed to have vacations and family retreats for long weekends together,  not just the typical family Christmas party.   I have brother-in-laws that have married into the family that aren't in-laws but are actually brothers and nephews that aren't in-laws but that I feel are actually blood.  And as much as this is a blessing to me,  I believe it is more of a blessing to the kids.  When I was growing up I had great aunts and second cousins and I knew them and saw them on occasion but we didn't have what I would really call a "relationship."
To give you an example  a couple of years ago we were all vacationing together in WaterColor Fl.  When I say all, I mean all.  I think there was 32 of us.  It was a time we all remember with a smile on our faces.  One of my fondest memories was of Trevor, my fifth born grandson, and Bruce, my nieces husband chasing and catching a lizard.
Trevor still talks about this and it will probably always be a great time and memory for him.  Of course I think it was one of Bruce's favorite times also as he told us later about doing this as a kid and how scared his mother was of the lizard.  Trevor is probably the most critter and insect friendly grandson we have.  He has never been scared of anything with 4 or more legs or that slithers across the ground.  On a couple of occasions when we have seen a snake in the yard as the others have run away Trevor has run to.  Trevor is also unique in that he loves to play with the other kids but seems just as happy playing all by himself.  When I look at my grandchildren I see something in each that I wish I could instill in myself.  Jay is my 6th born grandchild and as much of a boy as any but there is something different.  While the others have a sensitive side,  Jay's sensitivity seems to be magnified.  He can be as ruff and tumble as any of the boys and yet play forever it seems with Hunter (my 7th grandchild) with a gentleness that truly amazes me.  And love?????  I don't think I have ever seen someone love anyone like Jay loves his mama.  If I could bottle and sell that love none of us would ever have to work again.  Of course we all know there is not enough money to buy that love.  It's priceless.  That brings me to Hunter.  We had a party for Hunter yesterday celebrating Hunter's 1st birthday. How will his personality develop?  I can hardly wait to see,  although you can see some of it now.  He appears to love music and dancing..He loves to be around the other children.  He appears at times to be a very deep thinker as you will often see what we call the Daniell stare as he looks into the thin air while contemplating something.  And I believe he will be very smart because he wants to know everything going on around him.

The right name was picked by whoever decided to call our children's kids our GRAND children, because grand they are.

To all my Grandchildren,  just know you are loved!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!