My trip to Florida
Jim and I finally got to meet our daughter-in-law, Angela, as well as our two grandbabies, Sophia and Sabella. Sophia was born in December 2002 in Okinawa where both mom and dad were stationed in the Air Force. Sabella was born August 2004 at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, two weeks before Hurricane Ivan swept through and devastated the area. We hadn't seen our son, Jon for four years, the last time being at his basic training graduation in Texas.This trip was a Christmas present from our youngest son, Joey. We praise God for both our sons and now our new daughter-in-law and grandbabies.
I wasn't sure how I'd be as a grandmom. I've never been one to coo over babies, unless they were puppies or kittens. But, I loved my own children when they were little, so I hoped that same matronly gene was still in my body somewhere and not shriveled like a dried up raisen.
It wasn't.
I love being a grandmommy. Sophia stole my heart from our first meeting, where we played a game called "Transfer the magnetic letters from Grandmom's hand to the Easter basket." This game took awhile, but I never tired. Then we went to peek-a-boo, where Sophia would stand with her back to me and then turn around suddenly. This was our orientation of each other. By day two, she was giving me hugs and kisses. Baby Sabella took immediately to Grandpa Jim. He held her almost constantly, and now her mom and dad have to unspoil her. I have to admit, holding a cuddly four-month-old was the best thing since cheesecake, and that's saying a lot for me.
Meeting Angela was a treat, too. We got to know each other on the phone, and even have come to love each other, but it's nice to put a face to her and be able to hug her. I never had a daughter, and she fits in our family perfectly.
As I mentioned earlier, it had been four years since I'd seen Jon. Then, he was a twenty-three year old kid trying to decide what to do with his life. He joined the Air Force like his old man, hoping to learn a skill. He was immediately sent to Okinawa out of Tech School, and met his Angela there. It did this old mom's arms good to hold her first-born again, although he's now a man with a family of his own. I loved watching my baby with his babies. He's a good daddy.
We were only there a week, and they tried to get us to stay longer, but alas, we do have a life. But I promised I'd visit as often as I could, and hopefully Jim will be able to get out of work once in awhile to join me.
The following pictures are only a sampling of the over one hundred that I took. Love that digital camera! If you want to see the picture better, simply click on it.
Me and the girls, Sophia and Sabella
Us old folks enjoying the girls.
All us girls: me, Angela, Sophia, and baby Sabella
Sabella Louise Kovach, born Aug 31, 2004
Sophia in tie-died dress I bought for her
After church
Grandpa and Granddaughter on carousel
Dad and Daughter on carousel
Daddy Jon caught a big one
Sabella and Eeyore singing "If You're Happy and You Know It Flap Your Ears"
posted by Kathy Kovach... @ 12:48 PM
Comments: 0
