Our newest grandson turned 24 last week. Please note I didn't say our
youngest who has his first birthday
this week. Callum (we call him Cal) joined our family this past February when he married our eldest granddaughter, Samantha.
Cal brings a number of firsts to our clan: (1) He is our first grandson-in-law; (2) He married our firstborn granddaughter; (3) His new dad-in-law is our first son; (4) Because we could not attend the wedding (they were married two states away when I was days out of surgery), we first met Cal last month when Sam brought him to our family reunion, dubbed AylaPalooza. (See the family portrait below.)
Probably the biggest first he brings? He's a citizen of the U.K., born in Dumfries, Scotland, and studying at the University of York when he and Sam met through mutual friends. We've never had a Brit in the family until now. Because he needed a special visa to come to the U.S.A., and because things were a bit . . . shall we say, impacted? . . . at U.S. Immigration Services, Cal and Sam were engaged for almost 18 months before they could marry. It's the sort of sweet love story I may one day write.
Sam is delighted. She's been waiting for Mr. Right (not Mr. Wright; he married our daughter), and Cal fits nicely. Sam graduated a few months back and now has a high-powered job with Dell. She can support them in style while Cal attends university here to complete his degree. Until he's accepted, he is working as a teller in a bank near their apartment. That fits well into his plans; he's earning a degree in finance. He has also lived in Hong Kong and speaks Cantonese, so we can foresee an interesting and prosperous future for this cute couple.
They couldn't appear happier and we are all happy for them. For my part, I'm thrilled to have a new grandson, even if he's already several inches taller than I am. My grandchildren are all truly grand, no matter how they join our family.
Watch for Amber in Autumn, Book 3 in the "Seasons of Destiny" series, coming near the end of September.
