"But it seems like just yesterday......"

Every grandparent asks the same question: "How did they grow up so fast?" We helped Princess Alyssa celebrate her 21st birthday last night.

Little Aly and Grandpa Bud have always had a special bond. We were still living in West Des Moines when Doug & Shelly had their baby on April 2, 1989. (I was glad she waited a day so she wasn't an April Fool.) Being in close proximity meant we saw a lot of Aly the first six years. Even after we moved back home she spent occasional weekends with us when her parents were busy.

One of Bud's favorite stories is when we took her to an Easter egg hunt when she was only one. She may not have understood the concept of grabbing candy and putting it in her basket, but she knew what to do when a little boy tried to take a piece of candy away from her - she stood her ground and took it back.

One of my favourite stories is the night Shelly, Kari, Aly & I went to the xmas season kick-off in Valley Junction - so many stores, so little time. We were trying to plan a strategy when five-year-old Alyssa piped up: "We can do it all!" We laughed and agreed - we are women, we CAN do it all.

Bud's favorite picture of Alyssa when she was little is the one above. I think mine is one of her leaning over the rain barrel in the back yard of 517-4th St trying to catch rain on her tongue as it came down the spout.

Where does the time go? How do our little ones grow up so fast? It is a delight to cuddle and love them when they are little. It is a privilege to know them as adults. The time between feeding the ducks and geese at Maclaren's Resthaven with Aly, age 4 and visiting Luther Campus with Alyssa, age 20, passed so quickly. I don't know what she wished for last night at her birthday party - but my wish is we get to celebrate many more birthdays with her.