Nicole

Nicole is a fairy child/woman, beautiful of face, form, and personality.  She looks so much like her mother, Shelley, did at this age and, surprising to me, has begun to even sound like her.

When I was writing about Faye, Marilee, and me going to Jake's rowing races, I forgot to mention how Nicole had to help us to sit on the grass, digging in her heels to gently lower our old bodies so we wouldn't crash like aged timber on the ground.  We sat right in front of the lake, a marshy and reedy wetland a few feet in front of us and I began to picture the moment that Nicole would be hauling us back up to our feet.  I could just see me rising up with momentum that would toss us both into the water...I tend to worry about everything...so, when it was time to get up, I made sure I was turned in a way that wouldn't happen.  Sweet Nicole took such good care of her Gramma and Aunties!

All of my grandchildren are completely comfortable dealing with their older relatives because they've been brought up to have close ties with us.  We're an integral part of their lives and that's the way all families should be.

How lucky we are.