“Forty-three, forty four, forty-five, oh no! Two are missing! We need to go on a zoo animal hunt. Our turtle and our lion are missing.” Amelia was climbing all over the bed where her mom was trying to change Ezra. I was doing the daily zoo animal headcount as the kids prepared to head home. …
Care and Keeping
Thomas added his weight to Timothy’s against the glass door of the restaurant where we were standing watching the birds outside while their mom gathered her things. The look that danced behind his eyes just before Thomas pressed the palms of both hands against the glass let me know this was sort of an experiment, …
Standing on Tiptoe
Near the edge of the woods where my husband puts out deer corn in winter, he mounted a motion sensor light high up on a tree. When the deer show up to polish off their nightly feast, the sensor triggers the light and for about thirty seconds, silhouettes are visible along with the occasional flash …
Guard The Deposit
Amelia attended her first wedding as flower girl for my nephew and his bride. Thomas was ring bearer and Timothy and Ezra dressed to the nines were just bonus cuteness. In the wake of Christmas fun and festivities, each of our grands wracked up a pretty significant sleep deficit. Combine that with overstimulation, overindulgence, and unexpected …
Serve Well
My daughter’s weekly grocery routine includes allowing four year old Thomas to scan items in the self checkout line. He has been practicing since he was two so he is now fairly efficient. They have adopted or rather have been adopted by one employee in true grandmother fashion at their local Aldi and are well …
Behold Him
Thomas saw through my bag containing five tubes of peanut butter mini M&Ms meant for the grandkids’ Christmas stockings the day I bought them. His mama called him out with a grin, saying to me, “He’s a Sneaky-Peeker!” Later that same day, after celebrating a birthday party for Jesus, after opening his stocking and after …
Wonderful Joy Ahead
“This traffic is terrible!” my husband stated flatly. “I think we can turn right and bypass Main Street.” “There’s a detour ahead,” I replied. “I’ve seen the signs the last few times I’ve driven up to visit.” The traffic wasn’t surprising really. It was half past five and we were headed into the mountains, a …
Inexcusable, Not Unforgivable
I blew it. Deep down, I knew but I refused to see it at the time. My blood was boiling. My heart raced in my chest. A million thoughts crowded my head and drowned out the still, small voice of God. “When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, But he who restrains his lips …
Too Spicy
Amelia and now Ezra are coffee foam connoisseurs. If I don’t offer a taste quickly enough for their liking, I can count on a tiny finger full being scooped from my cup. I enjoy lattes made at home and so does their mom. Lately, I discovered a new way to enjoy my morning dose of …
Afterglow
I hear airplane, sounding more like air pain, from my grandsons every time we’re outside together. It doesn’t matter if they’re excavating the mulch bed or playing baseball, even the little boys sound off, eyes heavenward, searching for the flash of silver or the trail of jet exhaust. Thomas, who is four, has learned to …
A Fitting Reply 