Earlier this month, our elder son Seth joined us in Maryland for a weekend visit with our younger son Jeremy, his wife Katrina and their boys. Our grandsons, Leo, age 13, and Grady, age 10, are taller than they were when we saw them in February. There is no conversation that they don’t “get,” and they now can be left by themselves when their parents go out.

They have more household responsibilities than our kids did. (Where did we go wrong?). Their schedule of sports practices, and lessons and parties is a bit mind-boggling. The amount of food they consume makes me think that I should start stocking up for Thanksgiving now.

We went to their soccer games, probably my favorite activity. Late Saturday afternoon, Jeremy and Leo carried a sofa they no longer needed about three blocks to its new home with an elderly neighbor.   Katrina and I followed in the car with its pillows. The grateful neighbor told me that our kids and grandkids are lovely.

She's right.