She looks at me with big, blue eyes, as if she is trying to study my face. I think she recognizes me, but I’m not certain. Perhaps it is the sound of my voice or the way I hold her close to me. But we share something, a sense of belonging, of knowing we are family.
Then she offers me the most beautiful smile, pure happiness, and wonder. My heart melts and I know that I will love this child forever.
Of course, I am describing my adorable, almost 7-month-old granddaughter, Avaya Rae Light. She was not planned but then again, the best things in life rarely are, they tend to be spontaneous and in the moment.
We spent the last week of our 2-month summer adventure at our sons’ homes in Jacksonville. We barley blinked an eye at parking the RV at an expensive equestrian park for the week and not even staying there. We were happy to be with our sons, with Maddy, and with Avaya. Oh, and all five dogs, especially the new puppy, Riley!
I don’t know what I love to see more, Gary holding and talking to Avaya, or seeing my son Carter hold his daughter in his strong arms. It gives me a sese of peace and purpose, of having done something right.
We played, talked, and sang to her. I had several early morning feeding duties and a few afternoon nap duties, as well. And I am glad to report – I still have it! I can calm her down, put her to sleep, and make a bottle one handed. Of course, her mommy and daddy are preferred but this grandparent gig is pretty sweet.
When the week was up, both Gary and I were relieved to hit the road one last time and head back to our quiet condo in Naples. So were our dogs, Lola and Fiona. We all wanted to sleep in our own beds, to not have our home move and wiggle, to be able to leave a room and not see one another for five whole minutes.
I don’t have a favorite spot from this trip. My least favorite would have to be Memphis, TN, that sad, deserted, dangerous city that I do not think I ever want to go back to.
I am so glad we got to visit my sisters, that we learned new history and saw new places in our beautiful and vast country. We checked off three more National Parks, we got to ride some amazing bike trails, and we saw some old friends, too.
Comparing our last RV trip with this one is hard to do. When we traveled in 2019, pre-pandemic USA was a bit friendlier and more welcoming. Maybe it was me that has changed, or the fact that we were in more of the southern USA this time, but I definitely got a sense of people keeping to themselves, being more insular.
But that is okay, I like exploring with just Gary and me and the dogs. We don’t need to make new friends in different places. For as long as our health can sustain this arrangement, we will continue to set out on the open road and embrace new experiences. We like to add everything, the good and the bad, to our life stories.
Our next adventure is in September when we head for two weeks to the Florida Keys and Everglades National Park. We’ve been before but not in an RV, so I think it will be something new for us.
Thank you for following along with this blog and until the next time, when the Lights are off, again.
Cathy