As you know, I went back home to Denver for a few days this weekend, giving me the opportunity to receive hugs and kisses from the grandkids who live there.

I know all grandparents say this, but I have remarkable grandchildren. Astounding, really. Every one of them is unique and precious and beautiful and smart. I’m not bragging; I’m simply stating a fact. Aren’t I lucky?

Out of our nine existing grandchildren, four are boys. Two of the boys live far away in Vermont. One of the boys is not really a boy any longer – growing into a man. So 9-year-old Alastair often feels surrounded by girls. We talked this weekend about our upcoming 10^th grandchild, and he was thrilled when I reminded him that it was going to be a boy. I didn’t remind him that it would be a long time before he would be able to actually play with the child….

Alastair is a very interesting child. He is often in motion, and his parents have to work with him a great deal to teach him to stay in his own space. But when he puts his mind to something, he is quiet, persistent and patient. Seeing this transformation always amazes me.

This weekend I gave the kids some paper. My sister Jen has a new job at Wells Fargo, and the stationery with her old job title was useless and good only for scratch paper. The stationery has the Wells Fargo stagecoach logo as a watermark. When I arrived at their house at 7 o’clock in the morning the next day, he greeted me with this drawing….

He had used a red Sharpie to trace the intricate lines that make up the Wells Fargo stagecoach. I asked him how long it took, and he said, “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe an hour.”

Ladies and Gentlemen, who has that kind of patience?

Oh, I know. Alastair.

Have a good weekend.