They Did What?!

Grrrrrrrr.  My parents left.  Just a day shy of a one-week visit and they left us?!  Don't they realize we need them?!  And that we enjoyed their company?!  Not to mention A. will surely miss her morning routine and daily fun with her Grandma and Grandpa T (well, we will, too; Grandma and Grandpa T.'s help in the AM meant a few extra zzzzzz's for the mama and papa!).  

And A. really buddied-up with Grandpa T. this visit.  He was her wingman (or she his?).  Whatever A. wants, A. gets from Grandpa T. (I think this mama and Grandma T. were unfairly hard on Grandpa T., trying to interfere with his "mission spoil-A.", saying "oh, no Grandpa!" this and "oh, no Grandpa!" that; how could we dare spoil their fun?!).  Thank you both for spending your Christmas in our hometown.  We look forward to your next visit (which I suspect will coincide with the impending arrival of Baby D-2 . . . ).

On another note, I wished my parents would've stayed here a little bit longer, or at least through today.  Some of you may have heard through your local news' stations that there was a tragic blast in their hometown in Michigan (even if you're not in Michigan, this story broadcasted on our local D.C. news, NPR, and cable news, and internet outlets).  My parents were at their home, just a few houses down from the blast-site, when the accident occurred at a local, long-standing furniture store, claiming the lives of two of its employees.

My folks, thankfully, were largely unaffected by the blast, save for being physically moved by the force of the blast (my parents, a repairman at their home, and the house itself was shaken quite well), extreme fright at the time of the explosion and a day-long evacuation from their home while investigators, including their energy company, Homeland Security, and the EPA, looked into the source of the blast (likely a natural gas leak).  We're especially thankful for their well-being, but can't help but continue to be concerned about them as we keep in our hearts and minds those families devastated by the accident.