Dear Reader:

While I was at Mandy’s helping out with the children from Sunday to Wednesday this past week…I found myself drawn  to the lake and the soothing scene of the ‘lilies of the lake’ as I call them, that bloom each spring this time of year. They are just beautiful. As the sun would start to go down each night…I would go to the porch and watch them waving in the evening breezes and think to myself  “All is right with the world.” Such a calming effect.

As I helped get the children up each morning, dressed, encouraging them to eat breakfast, and brush their teeth…then out the door by 7:00 am…this almost forgotten past ritual brought back such memories of my “former working” life as a single mom and teacher.

I kept thinking to myself….”How did I do it?” But I already knew the answer…”I did it because there was no other option…we all do what we have to do when ‘push comes to pull’ don’t we? “

Bath time and brushing teeth were actually some of my favorite routines this time because of one memorable object in the bathroom. It was one of those gifts that I thought would be helpful to John and Mandy when Eva Cate was a toddler and starting to walk and brush her teeth…to have a little stool to stand on in front of the sink. It is still there today… seven years later…now helping Jakie wash his face and brush his teeth.

It is the one gift that has endured the stretch of time when others have long been given away, broken, or discarded with age. Little did I know when I bought it…it was would be the gift that would “Keep on giving”… withstanding the trials of time and childhood.

After supper each evening it was playtime…I loved seeing Eva Cate so enjoy the jump rope she got recently…again…one never knows which toys will endure generation after generation. It was a pink jump rope for Eva Cate and little trucks for Jakie. He loves looking for rocks and dirt to fill up the backs of his trucks.

As Mandy and I held the rope for Eva Cate to jump…I kept remembering the jingle we used to chant while jumping rope at school…now as a former history teacher…I realize how inappropriate it really was…but no one gave it a second thought back then. Too funny. We all just laughed.

“Lizzie Borden took an axe and gave her mother forty whacks…when she saw what she had done…she gave her father forty-one.” (1, 2,2 3, 4, 5, etc. until the jumper missed a hop.)

The best memories now from staying with the grandchildren is the hugs and kisses…soon that won’t be ‘cool’ any more but now I can store them up like a squirrel finding nuts for the winter years for when it will get harder to get those kinds of spontaneous hugs.

The kids missed their daddy and they were so excited when they left for school Wednesday. Welcome home John…I hope you rested up some but I know you also missed those same hugs and kisses I will.

Jo Dufford sent a witty observation she had heard about genetics ( following the blog on pink and blue hydrangeas…definitely ‘food for thought.’)

“It seems as if a very self-absorbed smart-acting man said to God…’I can do anything you can do. Why I can even make a man.” 

So God took some dirt, molded it, blew His breath on it, and He created a man.

The guy said, ” Well...Watch this, God.”

He reached down to pick up some dirt. But then God stopped him in the process and said, “Just a minute, you will have to make your own dirt. I created the dirt too…remember?”

So until tomorrow…”God has allowed man the ability to do marvelous things, but, we must never forget… in the beginning , God created it all and then set it in motion.”  (Thanks Jo for sharing!)

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh