Wagon Racing

I'm not sure why this post didn't get published awhile ago (it was written a about 6 weeks ago), but here it is now:

So, the Jonathan-Libby duo of the Great Wagon Race made a valiant effort. As background, Jonathan's parents have a mess in their garage. A BIG mess. I don't know how unusual that is, but what might be slightly unique is that among the mess is a wagon. It's a nice wagon that brings back fond memories for both Kevin and Jonathan from their childhood. The sides of the wagon are removable. The wagon is study. It's red. It's a fine piece of wagon-ness.

A number of years ago (at Thanksgiving, I think it was) out of the blue, Jonathan's mother declared a contest. I don't know that she intended to phrase it as a competition, but that's how it came out. She fixated on that glorious wagon among so many undiscovered treasures that lie buried in that garage, and she proclaimed that her son who was the first to produce a grandchild should become inheritor of... THE WAGON!

Now, as I mentioned, this was a number of years ago. Kevin and Laura were newlyweds. I don't even know if I'd met Libby, yet. Kevin and Laura have been married now for something like 34 years, and Libby and I are approaching the realm of "old married couple," so obviously this competition hasn't done much to spurn our interest in producing grandchildren for my parents. (I'm not sure if that's to my mother's dismay or relief.) But 2009-2010 has turned out to be the sprint to the finish line.

Part of Laura's gift to my brother this year for Christmas was a positive pregnancy test. He was quite giddy with that. And here Libby and I are, a little over a month later, with the same result. So, it looks like the cards have been dealt, and Libby and I will probably surrender claim to the wagon over to my brother and his wife... But I'd say we put in a valiant effort. One that warrants at least being able to borrow the wagon if we should happen to visit Kevin and Laura and Kevra (or whatever they choose to name their little one... Jonathan, perhaps?).