It takes a long time to grow young: GiGi

"Grandfathers are for loving, catching fish and fixing things."

This past August, the grandkidlets spent 1 WHOLE month at Wakaw Lake. They learned how to catch perch off the dock, knee-board, drive the tin fishing boat, the quad & Gigi crazy. They were very quick to acknowledge what pressed Gigi's buttons.

I always joked to my dad that there was going to come a day when I would drop off the kids with a suitcase in each hand, ring the doorbell and drive away. I honestly had no idea that this dream of mine would someday come true.

When grandkidlets misbehave, Babas can do nothing but giggle and Gigis turn red and blow steam out of their ears. Gigi planted a baby tree, he loved it, watered it and nurtured it. Bella and Braxton presented Baba with handfuls of leaves so she could make a supper salad. As Gigi hollared from the back of the cabin, Baba giggled because she quickly learned where the salad leaves came from.

In all seriousness, he loves his grandkidlets to pieces. When he heard the grandkidlets were coming for a vacation at Wakaw Lake he repaired & painted bikes for them to ride. The boats were tuned and the fishing rods hooked.

But there is a certain, special kind of love that you receive only from your Gigi- unconditional. The right way to bait a hook to catch several, several perch off the dock, the praise received when you finish all the food off your plate and the tightest hug before bed even though most of the day was spent driving Gigi crazy.

Bella will always tug on Gigi's heartstrings. Braxton will always strike a nerve. And Gigi loves them both for it.