Makena Baer

Before I get into this blog, I’m going to give some background information because I now have readers that range outside of my family, and who don’t know me or my situation at all.  My husband, Alan is in the Air Force and we’re currently stationed in Japan.  While in Japan, he received noticed that he would be deploying to the Middle East. So at the end of October, I traveled back to Ohio to live with my brother – Mike, his wife – Alisha and their two young children – Ed and Makena.  While here in Ohio I gave birth to our first son, Michael, in January.  Michael and I will be meeting Alan back in Japan sometime in May.  Hopefully, I’ve clarified some things for new readers and haven’t created any new confusion…

I think in this life there are some people who are just made to do certain things…have specific jobs…be a certain type of person.  While I believe everyone is blessed with some special gift, I think there are very few people who actually discover it and are able to put it to good use.  So, when I notice someone who has obviously found there niche, I definitely take notice.

Some people are made to be doctors or priests or bakers…Alisha’s mom and dad are definitely made to be grandparents.  I’ve been living here for about six months now and I can whole-heartedly say the only other person I’ve ever seen embody the role of grandparent like Alisha’s parents, Karen and Jim do, is my own grandma.  Ed, my three year old nephew, affectionately refers to Karen as maamaw and to Jim as paapaw.  They take Ed and Makena to the zoo, to parades, for sleep-overs at their house…they just love having their grandkids around and go out of their way to see them as much as possible.  And in return, Mike and Alisha love to be around them.

Myself, Mike, Alisha and the kids all just came home from having Easter dinner at Karen and Jim’s and I couldn’t help but notice the family atmosphere that they’ve been able to create for themselves, their children and their grandchildren.  As we sat down to eat a meal that they had both cooked, I realized that it’s because they are so welcoming.  They love their daughters and they love and welcome their spouses into their home like they are their own children.  And it’s because of this that everyone likes being at their home and goes there regularly.  I kept sitting there at dinner tonight thinking I just felt really comfortable, even though they aren’t even my in-laws.  I kept thinking that I had felt this same way before, but it took me a while to realize that I hadn’t felt that way since my own family was all seated around my own grandma’s table.  And while it made me miss my grandma, it made me very happy for my brother that he’s lucky enough to have such a good family environment for his kids.

Although it’s only Jim and Karen that live in that house, their home is filled with items for their grandchildren.  They have a crib for sleep-overs, colorful objects for them to play with and their tub is full of water toys for them during bath-time.  There’s a tree-swing in the backyard and motorized cars that the kids go crazy to take rides in.  The kitchen is stocked up with baby food and there are spare pajamas for each grandchild in the closet.  Everything about their house seems focused on their grandkids.

When we drove up to Jim and Karen’s house before dinner, the entire yard was covered with brightly-colored Easter-eggs.  The kids ran around picking them up and cracking them open to find little treasures inside – small toys or coins for their piggy banks.  Each grandchild had Easter baskets waiting for them, filled to the brim with candy and chocolates.  It was just really fun to see all the kids happy and hunting for eggs together…it made me excited for all the Easter’s ahead with my husband and our son.  It made me hopeful that we can build a family as close-knit as the one Jim and Karen have created.

Although I do miss Alan and I wish Michael and I could have spent this Easter with him, that wasn’t in the cards for us this year.  I do, however, feel very lucky to have spent it with a family as loving as Jim and Karen’s.  Happy Easter everyone; I hope you are spending it with the ones you love.

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