My first grandchild is FORE.

My first grandchild is FORE.

I flew into DCA on inaguration day. I booked my ticket six months ago and didn't even think of the special day. A week before I left Tracy called and told me certain roads & bridges were closing for the day but reasured me they would find a way to pick me up at the airport. I boarded the plane early Tuesday morning and there were only 10 passengers (I didn't know if this was a good or bad sign for what was to happen the rest of the day.) When I arrived at Regan airport Tracy's family was there to get me. They said it was the EASIEST time they had ever got to the airport. It seemed like the traffic was something you would see back here in Iowa; you could actually see the pavement, not just cars. We had to wait around the area for Tracy's best friend and children to arrive from Whidbey Island so we went to the mall. It was kinda freaky not to have the total kaos of people like normal. We even ate at a restaurant right at 12pm with only about 5 other people there; no waiting line. We listened to the day's event on the television set and had a nice quiet lunch. About 2pm the people starting showing up with their winter coats, blankets, thermos and flags. There... DCA was back to normal. We picked up the Wymans at the airport and headed to Pennsylvania for the evening. Guess what? Driving on interstate, we couldn't see the pavement anymore, too many vehicles. (I must admit I liked it better before.)

We spent the night in a steam boat turned hotel. Of course Tracy had to keep with the water theme for Mikie's birthday. Mikie enjoyed pancakes with a candle for his fourth birthday in the morning then we were off to the train museum. The kids had fun and I even learned some new things. When we got back to Fredricksburg we went to Chuckie Cheese for a fun night out for Mikie's birthday. The kids had fun playing all the games and winning tickets.

Thursday we woke and started preparing for this special birthday party on Saturday. Tracy put Amber, Michael and myself to work, hard physical and emotional (thinking of last minute ideas), but I LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT. I'm not sure if the others felt the same, but I think they did. (Sometimes it was hard to tell at 4am.) I do think Tracy's wonderful planning and all our hard work made a fun party for all.

Saturday was Mikie's under the sea miniature golf party. It turned out FANTASTIC! The kids and adults had a lot of fun. Tracy received several compliments on her job well done and was offered the job of planning others' parties. The golf course had five holes. Michael carried in 130 stones to complete this wonderful course. Luckily we were able to put hole #4 against the wall and hole #5 we used boxes or he would have had to carry in several more stones. When the party was over Michael, Tracy & Amber carried all the stones back out...I just supervised because I hurt my back the first night at their house.

Michael & Tracy gave Mikie tickets to Monster Jam for his birthday. We went to DC that evening for the show. The boys loved it.

Sunday I went to Tracy's classroom while she taught Sunday School. In the afternoon she had invited their church friends to enjoy the miniature golf course. We got double duty out of that course. It was so nice to see the many faces I've heard so much about. I got to meet Amanda; she is truely an intelligent, beautiful, kind young woman & mother. Her smile is radiant. I met her oldest daughter, Natalie; and she is very beautiful like her name. Such a sweetie. It was fun to watch her with my grandsons, she likes them very much.

Some of the funny things that were said while I was in Virginia was: When Mikie got to hole #5 he asked "What is going to happen to my ball?" He has been to enough mini golf courses to know that the last hole sucks up your ball and never gives it back. You should have seen him smile when we told him nothing would happen to his ball and he could keep playing again and again and again. And believe me he did.
Zachary is calling me "GMA" right now not Boagie, so I would every once in awhile say "Grandma this or Grandma that" and Tate would look at me and say everytime "You are not Grandma, you are Boagie".
At the birthday party I was at hole #5 with Lenny and had to turn on the light to do something and he saw what the hallway looked like with lights and he said "That's where the M&M machine is." when he spoted the clubs' vending machine.

I had a wonderful week and hated to come back to Iowa besides seeing my wonderful grandsons and my adopted grandchildren; it was nice to see green grass and enjoy the warmer temperature.

I can't get any pictures downloaded so anyone that wants to see the neatest birthday party will have to read Tracy's blog.