To Grandmothers House I Go

So about a month ago I told my Grandma and Grandpa Tejeda I would come out and visit for Memorial Day and about a week ago - last weekend to be more precise - they called to tell me how excited they were. And to be quite honest I felt like such a bad granddaughter because I had totally forgotten. I didn't even realize the Memorial Day holiday was approaching and had already made plans for the weekend that I was to come out. Doh!! Bad granddaughter!! 

To make matters worse they live in Nebraska...not just a little Nebraska but BFE Nebraska. Three states up, 14 hours drive away Nebraska! Double Doh. So like the bad granddaughter I was I told them I wasn't going to be able to come out because I couldn't get a 4-day weekend and wouldn't be able to make the trip which usually goes like this:

Friday: Drive all day, hit traffic, see friends in Oklahoma, see friends in Kansas and finally arrive in Nebraska at 10pm ish

Saturday: Sleep till noon, visit with grandma, tell her the same story over and over, bake a pie, watch tv, go to bed

Sunday: wake up early, go to church, hit the chinese food buffet, come home watch more tv, go to bed

Monday: wake up early, drive home all day, hit traffic, get home exhausted, go to bed and prepare for work the next day

But after feeling like a total schmuck all weekend, I can't even begin to describe the disappointment in my grandpa's voice, I asked my work for Friday off, cancelled my plans for the Memorial Day weekend and mentally prepared for the long drive ahead.

Car ready...check

Gas fund...check

Rockstar supply...valero is stocked...check

Then all my friends started nagging me about booking a flight instead of driving. The only problems 1) 3 days notice and 2) no close airports to my grandparents house...BFE remember. But I did find a relatively cheap flight to Omaha, which is two hours away, so I snagged it. Thank God for Southwest Airlines.

When I called my Grandpa Tejeda to tell him the good news, that I was in fact coming out for a visit and he and grandma were going to have to pick me up at the airport, I thought he was going to start crying right then. He was so excited. He wanted to know all the details - flight number, time, airline, etc. So I emailed my itinerary to my Aunt Toni who lives a town away. (note: G&G Tejeda don't have email...according to Grandpa it was too frustrating for "Grandma" and they got rid of the computer. I have a sneaking suspicion it was really Grandpa who was frustrated not Grandma.) My Aunt Toni sent me this email back:

I passed along the info. You have made them so very happy by coming to
visit, thank-you. Please be prepared for Grandmas dementia, it is getting
harder to see her, and I see them about once a week.... I fear that soon she
will not know me. They love you so much.... you are the only part of your
Dad that they cling to. Anyway, I am glad you are not waiting to visit.I
look forward to seeing you!

Toni

It will be the 13th anniversary of my fathers death this June. And I can count on two hands the number of times I've seen my Grandma and Grandpa Tejeda since he died. Up until last month when my Cookie Grandmother passed away I still had all of my grandparents living and sometimes I forget how lucky I am to be in that position. I'm glad I'm taking the time this Memorial Day to travel to BFE Nebraska and spend a little time with mi familia.