He was due October 13, 2020. Our grandson, Shiloh. Remember him? Last time you saw him, he was hiding here:

We were ready. Our flight was booked for Utah a week ahead of schedule so Chris and I could settle in, spend time with the kids and get ready for our grandson. But the kids surprised us. He was actually induced a week early — the same day we were traveling!

In the past I would have been scrambling to change the flight to the day prior, which would have been slightly problematic since I had a dr visit that day to clear me from any complications from the recent health excitement. I didn’t worry this time, though.

Sadly, thanks to Covid, only Zeb would be allowed in the hospital. At least he could be there, though.

We left our beautiful Berkshires with smiles on our faces, knowing that we’d most likely be holding Shiloh in a few days.

Chris had never flown out of the Albany airport, and I was looking forward to his reaction on how small it was. I don’t think I’ve ever waited more than three minutes to get through security. This time it was even more empty than usual. When we went to the gate the ticket person sent us to, there was nobody there for about an hour.

Later we realized they sent us to the wrong gate, and we saw more people, but still not many in the scheme of what we were used to.

As we waited, we kept messaging the kids. I loved this note CJ Snapchatted to Zeb and Bri:

The flights were super-smooth. We flew on Delta, my personal favorite airline. Everyone wore masks, and the seating was spaced. They loaded from back to front and had two people per three seats with spaces between people not traveling together. We were given sanitizer wipes while boarding. Food was pre-bagged and contained bottled water, hand sanitizer and two snacks (cookies and a health bar on one flight then again on the longer flight then another round of water and Cheese-Its — my favorite 🙂 ). I was a happy camper.

During our layover I got the best news ever! The hospital changed their rules and one person aside from Zeb was allowed to be there for the birth and up to two hours after the birth. After that, the third person could visit, but only if Zeb was not there. The kids asked me to be the third !

As we drew closer, Chris noticed we were seeing the backside of Timpanogos. Our kids are just on the other side. Not gonna lie. I wished I could steer a bit closer then jump if I had a parachute.

We landed in the new terminal in Salt Lake. It was so empty, but I got my normal thrill of seeing ads for the slopes.

The terminal was beautiful in design, and it even has a greeting room where people can wait for arrivals in comfort. If you want, click the arrows on the bottom right of the SLC VR experience to see the airport. Or just look at my pics for a glimpse 🙂

Although I was in a hurry to get to the hospital, it didn’t distract me from enjoying the beautiful sunset as Hudi and Mollie drove us from the airport to our air b&b (Chris) and the hospital (me).

We landed around 5:30pm MST, and I entered the hospital room somewhere around 7pm . Bri and Zeb were in good spirits. As the night wore on, the pain kicked in. Shiloh got a little stuck, but all ended up well, and he was born a bit before 2:30 am. Bri was a real trooper.

This year is filled with a lot of emotional gifts. For me, as a mama, one of the greatest gifts was seeing Zeb and Bri supporting each other through a long, hard night. Their love is real, and their support and respect and caring for each other is real. So beautiful.

After a bit of a struggle, Shiloh entered the world. The amazing thing was that through all the stress and drama, his heart rate remained solid. So reassuring.

This is one of the first human part of the family photos

After I left, I couldn’t go back unless Zeb left, and it was time for their family to bond. So I went to the Air B&B to settle in. Chris and I were shopping the next day, and he got to see Shiloh for the first time.

Although we couldn’t be there with them, Zeb and Bri sent lots of pics as we fell more and more in love.

Chris and I stayed at the home we stayed at when Avalon was born. We got to reunite with Jasmine, the fantastically beautiful and fun Great Dane we bonded with in the summer of 2019. Woohoo!!!

The day Zeb, Bri and Shiloh were due home from the hospital, we picked up their dog, who was staying with Hudi and Mollie, and checked out their home. All was set for them. Look how adorable Shiloh’s room is. They are so talented as decorators. I might have to have them design my place. Haha. IMHO, it’s worth going through the entire carousel.

After checking the place, we took Ophelia outside to wait for her mom and dad. She missed them! But waiting with Grandpa wasn’t all that bad, either.

Family reunions are the best!

Opi and Grandpa meet Shiloh for the first time

Sometimes remembering how little they are is a bit scary….

But Grandpa quickly remembered the magic.

Can’t help falling in love.

The kids fell in love months ago. I love their pic on the wall.

Shiloh seems to have no problems with his room.

We are kind of grabbing every chance we can to hold him. He sleeps a LOT!!!

After settling in a bit, the family was ready for the extended family. Opi was super excited Avalon came to visit. She seems to think her playmate is pretty cool, too.

What can make a mama happier than a pic of her boys adoring the next gen?

Well, maybe the boys and their dad. Three gens…

or even better… All our kids and the three gens <3

Avalon seems to really enjoy her cousin. By the next day she was calling him Shy. The parents tend to call him Shy guy — especially since he is so quiet.

Avalon also enjoyed the worms her Uncle Zeb introduced her to. Fun times.

On Sunday we bundled Shiloh up and headed to the pumpkin patch for some family fun.

The place was wonderful. No pressure to buy and no crowds. You pick what you want (pumpkins or corn) then pay using the honor system. You can put cash in the cash box or pay by Venmo according to the prices listed.

On Monday we went for a small evening walk after work. It was beautiful!

Zeb made us some tasty treats, too. Air fried Oreos in a pancake batter covering.

As Shiloh hit the one-week-mark, he started being awake a bit more. They came to our place to visit, and he got to meet Jasmine.

It’s been a bit of a whirlwind. More has happened in addition to this all. I had a fantastic girls’ night with our Air B&B owner and friends – going on a Halloween train ride that was a ton of fun. And Hudi and Mollie got two adorable kittens. I’ll blog all that another time.

But today I’m feeling more caught up to life than I have in a very long time. Shiloh helped me work as his parents rested. Then he let me have a break so I could write this.

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Of course, it’s quite long so during this process he’s slept, been fed and changed. Now that I’m wrapping it up, he’s happily in Grandpa’s hands. What a gift.

We are so thankful for our healthy Shiloh.