Home Away from Home.

I have childhood memories of a never-ending bridge, of looking as far as the eye can see and swearing our tires would never hit truly solid ground again. It stands tall, illuminated in darkness, intimidating to unfamiliar travelers and those who drive in outer lanes. As I got older, I grew brave, and even as I listened to the sound of my mother repeating the Lord's prayer, I gazed out over the still water, planning exactly how I would save my sister should we crash.

4.3 miles of bridge, shore to shore.

I journeyed over this bridge last week. With my husband in the driver's seat and my sweet babies in the back, I looked straight ahead, anxious to watch the road lifted before me become a road already traveled. The Chesapeake Bay Bridge is no longer such a scary thing, but a bridge to all that I love about Maryland, specifically the warm embraces of grandparents, delicious food, wonderful conversation, and the familiar smells of a home away from home. This trip was special, not only because it's been over a year since my last visit, but because it's the very first visit with my baby boy.

What is usually a 6 hour trip stretched on after numerous nursing stops for Ethan and potty breaks for Gracie. We did finally hit that long gravel driveway at 2:15 in the morning on Saturday. We enjoyed a lovely weekend then kissed Sean goodbye as he headed off to a nearby city for work on Monday morning. It was wonderfully convenient that he had a three day work trip to Maryland planned, and instead of staying home alone, we tagged along and stayed with my grandparents. 

The babies and I enjoyed the remainder of our visit. There was cookie baking, park playing, a tea party, and trips to the pool. Gracie got her first pedicure, complete with tiny flowers on her toes. Ethan dipped his feet into the pool for the first time. He seems to like water, but it was far too hot for either child to be out for very long. I was able to catch up with my grandmother while we each rocked little ones and acknowledged how blessed we really are.

I also found great joy in watching Ethan with his great-grandfather, the one who shares his middle name. He turns 93 in August. He still drives himself to the store and back, purchases books to read on his Nook, makes his 5:00 nightly martinis, and roots for his Baltimore Orioles. He even rode along on the golf cart as Sean played golf on Sunday morning. To me, he's the same grandpa he's always been, but it's such a special thing to be able to observe your children with your grandparent. He loved meeting Ethan and seeing Gracie again, I could see it in his eyes and smile.

That's Ethan's crab shirt, worn in honor of his great-grandparents' home state. :)

I'm so thankful for trips like these. It's nice to sit back and relax while spending quality time with loved ones you don't get to see often enough...Sean finished up his work on Wednesday afternoon and we all headed home on Thursday morning, after a big breakfast of Grandpa's pancakes and sausage of course...

It's always nice to be home, but I miss them already...