She finally arrived, thought Briar. We’d been coaching her since Christmas, showing her pictures of her Yakima grandparents.

“That’s Grandma. That’s Papa.” We’d say and then ask her to tell us who was in the pictures.

“Das’a Grandma and das’a Papa. Ooh, dere’s Grandma. Looky dere, dere’s a Papa.”

In the end it was just Grandma who came, though I think Briar still thinks Abbie will be coming. Grandma and Abbie go hand in hand in Briar’s mind after the September visit. As we waited Friday night while Sean drove to the airport she said,

“See Abbie. Abbie’s coming.”

I told her that she wasn’t coming,but that we could call her.

“Abbie. Ahh-Beee!” She called in a shout.

“No, honey, call her on the phone.”

“Ahh-Bee. Ah-Bee on da phone!”

When Grandma walked through the door Briar was waiting at my side with a beaming face. Avery was in my arms, looking from me to Grandma to Briar to Sean as if to say,

“Oooh, look at all my people. You are all so happy. Let’s do this all the time.”

It’s been one big blur of kisses, arts and crafts and Grandma shrugs (Briar does something not totally acceptable and my mom looks at me and shrugs like,What, you think I’m, gonna discipline that? It’s exactly what she came to do.)

Here’s a little peak at Grandma and Briar painting. I seem to serve as some sort of mind numbing gas cloud hanging in the room. They both look ever so slightly sedated.