All Those Children and Curious George

It was nearly Thanksgiving 28 years ago when my best friend from high school was talking to her mother about a friend of theirs who was recently divorced and lonely. My friend suggested that her mother fix him up with me -- also recently divorced, but determined to wait five years until I got married again. We both got an invitation to Thanksgiving dinner, but both had other plans. When Jan's mom called and told me John "would like to get to know you better," I was interested. But she offered a caveat. "The only reason I'm hesitant about being matchmaker is all those children," she said. "How many?" I asked, remembering how kind he had seemed at a dinner party where we had been seated next to each other. "Six," she said. That didn't worry me at the time and we were married two months after our first date in the living room of our matchmaker, with a heavy snow falling outside. One of John's six children couldn't make it to the ceremony because he was in the hospital having an emergency appendectomy. We stopped by to see him before the wedding and he wished us well.

Just last week, the 17th grandchild arrived. That joyous news was followed by the sad phone call telling us that another grandchild, 14 months old, had just been diagnosed with cystic fibrosis. I remembered my friend's worry about all those children, but I see them as a rich blessing, embracing the good and the sad. Another grandson just recovered from a bout with a nasty staph infection. This grandson has three daughters and his sister also has three girls -- so that means six great-granddaughters have been added to the family. Our reunions, though not frequent enough, are filled with joy. We have grandchildren who play soccer, trombone, water polo, some who cook, do physical therapy, weld, swim. We have a cheerleader, an actor, water skiers and writers.

I am thankful on the eve of this Thanksgiving to have our five-year-old grandson here watching Curious George and eating pizza. We took him to the Chabot Space Center to see a film about astronauts because he was interested in becoming one. After seeing all the dangers astronauts face, he whispered to his grandfather, "This looks too dangerous. I'm going to stay on Earth." Tomorrow we'll drive him home and share a feast with his two brothers, his Mom & Dad, my son and his girlfriend, who is making pistachio brittle, and my daughter and her new boyfriend. I am so thankful for my matchmaker.