it all began with Ben and a bbq: World Traveler

Ben is becoming a little world, (ok, USA) traveler much quicker than I expected. My Grandmother had been in and out of the hospital, which, as some of you may have experienced, sometimes sadly becomes a standard practice in life. The doctors called my Dad on November 15th and told him to come, as things had taken a bad turn.
On Thursday November 18th, Ben and I set off for Fountain Hills, AZ by way of Denver and the rental car terminal. Ben was an absolute angel!! Thankfully both flights were quick and the layover was only an hour. I tried to plan the bottles well and Ben hardly squeaked. The ability to gate check the car seat and stroller really makes air travel easy. The rental car terminal was a bit more tricky and I did not enjoy the audience of employees that gathered to watch as I struggled to install the car seat and load all the luggage. Really, "a little help here!"
By the time we arrived my Grandfather had also been admitted to the hospital but was thankfully to be released later that day. We picked up my Dad a few hours later and Ben got to meet Grandpa Ken for the first time.
The visit was hard without any of our usual accoutrements and only one cousin to help with Ben as my Grandmother was the last matriarch there. My Grandmother had an infection in her legs and therefore Ben could not visit. We did take lots of pictures to her and she loved them. I got to hold her hands and squeeze her and we got to tell each other how much we loved each other. She even asked out of the blue why we all just couldn't move there to be close to one another. I can't express how thankful I am that Ben and I went or for those moments holding her hand.
Ben and I headed home a bit earlier than expected on Sunday afternoon as my Dad had arrived a few days earlier than planned.
The following Saturday, on November 27th, another St. Theresa joined the others in heaven. My Grandma Theresa was the wife and mother I have always hoped to be. I know when I make her recipes that they taste just a little different because there aren't quite as many years of love in them, but one day....

I choose not to haul our DSLR so there are just a few pics from an old point and shoot that is obviously now in the trash!!