“Do we get to have another sleepover?” Amelia asked as I tugged her pajama shirt over her head. “For sure, we will have lots more sleepovers!” I replied, misunderstanding her question. The kids and I had packed up what probably looked like half of what we own to bring the cousins to Great Wolf Lodge …
Reason To Celebrate
“Amelia learned to spell her name,” Valentina confided, proudly, as I hoisted Ezra onto my hip and took Amelia by the hand and headed to the Lolly bus. “We’ve been practicing in the car,” she continued. “I only spelled it two times for her before she could say it by herself. Tell Lolly.” We’ve learned …
Mutually Encouraged
My daughter and I know better. When she visits and her boys are in bed, we should not be far behind them. She needs more sleep than she tends to get and so do I. I am able to buy her a little time in the mornings, but her boys will be up with first …
They Never Stopped
Amelia discovered my hardcover copy of Six By Seuss saved from her daddy’s childhood and she asks to read the Lorax and more recently, The Grinch Who Stole Christmas every single time she visits. Never one to sit still for long, she is dogged when it comes to finishing these two stories in a sitting. …
Hand and Feet Washing
My kids are quick studies. They know when bringing their kids to the grandparents, never dress them in good clothes. Play clothes, mismatched odds and ends or soon to be outgrown and already stained, are preferable. Of course I try to be conscientious. I’ll run a load of laundry once the grandkids are in bed …
Faithful Keeping
My lone son in law, like my husband, is pursuing a career in medicine. He is beginning his ninth year of postgraduate work with one additional year to go. The training experiences and constant testing are overwhelming at times. I know the load I’ve seen my husband bear in order to attain the degrees and …
Floundering
There’s no mahi in the freezer, I realized as I made my way though the kitchen, searching the staples for what I’d make for dinner. There are a few things I try not to let run out completely because I can offer a meal that nearly anyone will enjoy on short notice. Mahi is my …
What Sort of People?
“I need to open the window, Lolly. Mr. Leo and Mr. Noel are cutting grass. What kind of snack can we take them?” The rush of Thomas’s words matched his sprinting pace as he rounded the corner to the kitchen. He’d heard the mowers cranking and lost no time in getting into place for the …
Know Him
We sat in the front corner booth by the windows for lunch. My daughter and I sandwiched her two kids between us, alternating bites with juggling babies. Our view of the breezeway and the front parking always provides a great distraction. People walking by, driving out, or coming in often smile or wave to the …
Pockets Filled With Holes
“Do you have a pocket? No. Would you like for me to hold that for you until you’ve finished building?” I accompanied my daughters and grandkids to a local hardware store’s monthly kids building event. The toddlers were chomping at the bit to begin pounding away with their pint sized hammers while their moms unfolded …
A Fitting Reply 